Bitrthday Presents
by Mysterious Sapphire Butterfly
Summary: A sweet fic about my most favourite couple from the anime get backers: Ban Mido and Natsumi Mizuki...PLZ R&R! COMPLETE
1. Without You

CHAPTER 1

_ Sekaijyu doko ni anata wa iru no_

"I wonder where you are right now," murmured the pretty 17-year-old girl. She held a cup tightly in her hand.

_His_ Cup.

Holding on to it gave her a kind of reassurance………it was as though he would come back again.

_Or may-be not_………

Every time he left, the door would slam shut with the soft tinkling of the tiny bell which hung above the door. Every time he left, Natsumi felt that he would never return. But then he would come right back with the usual smirk on his face; which would, at times, be replaced by the ghost of a smile……his eyes would briefly light up on seeing her….a silent conversation would take place between the two of them……he would tenderly gaze at her for a fraction of a second and then go back to being the sulky egotist……….

Somehow, every time she decided that she would not fall in love with him but he would appear out of the blue…………….

And Natsumi would fall in love all over again……..

FLASHBACK

"So Natsumi, what do you want for your Birthday?" asked the grinning blonde haired retriever. "Oh Ginji, you are the one who makes by birthday special and not presents,' smiled Natsumi. "You're sweet, Natsumi,"smiled Ginji. From a dark corner, a certain dark-haired young man was watching this conversation with a sullen look on his face. "Why is she so free with him and why so uptight with me?" though Ban angrily. "Why….why….do I feel so relaxed when she's around….and why so overprotective of her when any guy gets near her…….she's no stunner…….but her smile….her eyes…….oh no, not again," he screamed, inwardly as he buried his face in his hands.

This is so- not- like the invincible genius, Ban Mido. A girl overpowering his senses was simply not the acceptable to the Jagan.

_But still…….._

"Ban-san, Ban-san?" said a voice, almost far away. Annoyed, Ban looked up to see who has wrenched him so cruelly apart from his dreamland.

And that's when the blood rushed to her face.

"_She's too close,"_ thought Ban, his cheeks a flaming red.

"_Oh god, I feel VERY weird…….."_ thought Natsumi, blushing.

Ban leaned forward and just then………….

"So Ban, have you decided what we'll get Natsumi……….."Began Ginji but he suddenly stopped to see the two, who resembled tomatoes. "Something wrong…………?" asked Ginji, who looked perplexed.

"I have to go do the dishes!" exclaimed Natsumi. " I have to go wash my hair," said Ban, almost annoyed with Ginji for spoiling the moment. From the corner of his eye he could see that the pretty girl was still very flustered.

_Damn…..what made me take such a step……_

From the look in his eye, Natsumi could tell that he was very annoyed with himself.

And that's when she thought…….it was pure one sided love……

(How wrong she was, wasn't she?)

END OF FLASHBACK

The wind chime tinkled and a strong gust of wind made Natsumi snap out of her reverie. "OMG, its 9:30 PM!!! Dad is going to slaughter me!" she thought as she hurriedly took off her apron and placed and place it on the counter. "Ja Mata ne, Master!" she yelled and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Back in the café, the cup still stood on the counter….

_His_ Cup.

As though forlornly waiting for the girl to return………


	2. Missing

Chapter 2: Missing

"Ohayou, master! Genki desu ka?" asked Natsumi politely. "Daijobu, daijobu, natsumi-chan. Today I will be going out so you are in charge of the café," smiled Paul. "Of course, master. You can trust me!" saluted the cute girl. Paul lest after a few instructions and Natsumi decided to clean the dishes. She hummed a little tune as she finished her chores. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and the birds on the treetops were twittering merrily. Grabbing a few bread crumbs, she sprinkled them on the window sill and happily watched the birds pecking at the crumbs. Natsumi stepped outside to throw the trash and just then she saw a beautiful snow-white kitten. She ran after it, crooning softly, "Here kawaii kitty! Natsumi I will take care of you." When the cat was finally snug in her arms, she stood up to leave. Just then, two strong hands held her tightly. She tried to scream but her shout was muffled by a big handkerchief soaked in chloroform. "Help…." She muttered weakly as the world around her went black.

Back in Maze city…..er……..things weren't going very smoothly. (A/N: if u know what I mean) Ginji was sporting a bloody lip and there was a deep gnash in Ban's right shoulder. Their opponents, a couple of masked men, looked unhurt. The trio sure spelt trouble for the Get Backers. "on the count of three, then," mumbled Ban softly." One, two, THREE!" he roared as Ginji leapt forward to attack.

"Makubex! Makubex! Where are you?" whimpered Sakura as she anxiously groped in the dark to locate the young programmer. When she finally found him, she was grief-stricken to see his breath in rattling gasps. "Sakura……Sakura……..find Ginji and Mido……..they have her…….." he whispered as he lost consciousness. Sakura took Makubex to Mr. Chan, the old chemist who was an ally and a friend. When Leanne saw Makubex's pitiable state, she exclaimed, "Whosoever has injured HIM sure has to be tough!" "Please take care of him, "pleaded Sakura. "I'll be right back." Saying this, she ran out, ignoring the old chemist as he implored her to return. Watching her tears was like seeing dew drops falling from a cherry blossom……..but she didn't care. Her last hope was-

"And that's how Shido fought that weird bug guy and his apprentices," finished Haruki. Madoka began to clap. The three were sitting in the cozy lounge in the Ottawa Mansion. Shido grinned at Haruki who grinned back. Madoka loved hearing about Shido's various exploits. Just then Madoka's cell phone began to ring with her favorite Beethoven's symphony. Flipping it open, she said, "Hello, this is Madoka Ottawa here."

"Hey Madoka, it's me, Hevn. Is Natsumi at your place?"

"Oh no…..she isn't here. I think she's at home….."

"No, I called her on her cell phone as well as at her house. But no one seems to be answering…..

"Do you think something happened to her?" asked a worried Madoka as Shido and Haruki abruptly ended their conversation and started listening carefully.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she's OK……I'll speak to you later then…..see ya," said Hevn as she ended the call.

_Where are you, Natsumi……..you never are late…….and you promised you would come shopping and have dinner with me as well……I guess, you are busy…….I should get going……._

Hevn stood up to leave. She was so much lot in her thoughts that she didn't even notice a guy who looked really hot.

Even though she could reassure Madoka, somehow Hevn had the lurking feeling that something was not right………

Jackal was just returning home with Reiko (A/N: if you remember the episode-High school girl VS retrievers" a certain school girl found Akabane-sama very interesting…hehehe) when he suddenly saw the Honky Tonk café neon sign. Thinking that it would be a thrill to meet Mr. Evil Eyes and the Raitei, he stopped bye to have a cup of his favorite espresso. Reiko joined him enthusiastically. However, on seeing the closed sign, Jackal turned away, regretfully. And that's when he spotted it. A sapphire blue rubber band, lying carelessly on the road. Jackal bent down to pick it up. Memories flashed in his head but he still could not guess whom the band belonged to. He merely tossed it aside with a casual flick of his wrist. He glanced back through the rim of his hat, not at all paying attention to the jabbering Reiko, who seemed to have forgotten about the band. It was as though the mere sight of the band triggered a memory, but, Akabane could not decipher his thoughts.


	3. Silent Tears

**_Disclaimer: Sadly, i own Neither Ban nor Natsumi...Two bad ne? Infact, I don't own GB at all...sigh_**

"You want her dead or alive," asked a voice which was full of malice. "Don't tell me you already have her! My, my, my, you sure do work fast," simpered the masked guy. The hooded figure merely shrugged. Walking towards the masked men, the hooded figure suddenly stopped, as though, considering its chances "don't worry, we are allies," grinned another masked man. On hearing these words, the hooded figure resumed its laborious job of carrying a heavy sack. On reaching the men, it shook off the neck of the sack to reveal Natsumi, who was still unconscious. The men grinned appreciatively but one of them, unnerved, yelled, "This is what we waited for?! A girl?!!" "Patience, my dear friend," smiled their leader. "I fail to understand your motive. Why kidnap a girl whom you don't even know," frowned the hooded figure. "And since when did you go around helping people?" "Such questions are best left unanswered. You don't want me to _think_ that you are _sympathizing_ with the Get Backers?" whispered the masked guy. The hooded figure looked annoyed. "Of course not," it replied curtly. "Well, I must go now. Good luck to you." "Wait a moment," whispered the masked guy. The hooded figure turned around slowly. "I think I paid you for a 2-day contract. We don't hand out such a handsome sum for a piece of cake, you know. Your job is not _finished_," whispered the masked guy, emphasizing the last word. "Hey, that's not right-"began the hooded figure but the masked guy silenced it by holding up a tiny glass vial full of some phosphorescent liquid. "You don't want my hand to slip _accidentally_ and let this shatter into a million tiny pieces, "whispered the masked man. The hooded figure stopped dead in its tracks. Accepting defeat, it slowly carried the sack back with it and left without another word. A man stepped out of the shadows and grinned at the masked guy. "That's handy," he said, softly. "You sure know how to control people," smiled a man as he pushed his long blonde hair out of his eyes. His hand, which the others noticed, was made of metal, the eerie grey color glimmering in the dark . "Of course," grinned the masked guy. "That's the reason why we are known as the Babylon city gods."

"Hey, that shrimp is sooooo damn TINY," exclaimed the whip-master as he was arguing with the stall owner. There was a long queue and people were starting to get really annoyed with Haruki. But the whip-master valued his money since he worked hard all day for it and he wasn't going to give up so easily. His companion, Kazuki Fuchoin gave a tired sigh, fed up with his sorry life. "I wonder what's taking Madoka and Shido so long," murmured Kazuki. They foursome had gone shopping since the rich violinist had a grand concert fast approaching and wanted to look her best. Shido had offered to go along and in this way; Haruki and Kazuki trouped along as well. But then Haruki had spotted a shrimp stall and had gone berserk. So Kazuki half-heartedly agreed to stay with him. Suddenly there was a low buzzing as people started shouting and women backed away. All around people were whispering and murmuring stuff like, "oh my! Those wounds look terrible!" and "what do you think happened to her?"

"She's injured! She needs help!" yelled a bystander. Kazuki stepped forward to see a woman with long auburn hair walking towards them, her blue kimono stained with blood. On seeing them, she gave a soft sigh of relief and collapsed. "Sakura!" yelled Kazuki and the two of them ran towards her.

"So Paul, has Natsumi contacted you recently?" asked a worried Hevn, frowning. "No, but the last time she was here she did say was alright and that she needed a few days off," said Paul, not looking up from his newspaper. "Relax, she's ok. Trust me," said Paul, grinning at the blonde. Hevn smiled weakly. Things were not going right for them. She hadn't heard from Ban and Ginji as well. _And now Natsumi's gone missing. _Hevn knew it in her heart that something was not right.

As she walked back home, ignoring the many men who were ogling at her, she suddenly spotted a familiar sight. There was a tall, slim guy wearing a black hat speaking to a girl with short brown hair, who seemed to be in high school. The man recognized her and the girl waved to her. Hevn raised her hand in acknowledgement and walked towards the pair. "Hey! You to seem to be getting along," she smiled, a sly grin on her face. The girl, Reiko, flushed while the man grinned. "Yes, as you can see," he said smiling. "You look worried…..something on your mind?" asked Reiko. "No, it isn't anything," lied Hevn quickly. She didn't want the two of them to know. "I have had a long day, that's all. I don't wanna interrupt you guys," she said, winking. "Alright then,"she said, flashing a false smile. "See you around."

And that's when her eyes fell on Reiko's hand. She seemed to be clutching a tiny light blue rubber band. Her heart began to beat fast. _It belongs to Natsumi!_ _I'm sure of it!_ She thought as she asked Reiko urgently, "where did you get that?"

"I found it lying near the café those losers hang out at," she grinned. "Actually, Kurudo found it." "When did you find it?" asked Hevn. "Dunno…May-be about yesterday….." She said, looking confused.

Hevn took the band from her with a simple thanks saying it belongs to Natsumi and rushed back home.

"Mmmmpfff…" mumbled Natsumi. (A/n: she couldn't speak as she had tape stuck over her mouth….its weird but I seem to notice that almost in every Natsumi- focused episode, when the poor girl is kidnapped, the guys seem to gag her…..guess she can't shut up, may-be that's the reason…lolz…) Her captor would not reveal herself to her. Many a times she found the hooded person staring mysteriously at her as though trying to observe and memorize her every movement. Natsumi found this _highly_ unnerving. At first, she was worried about her safety, but her captor was a decent guy. He would not even gaze into her eyes as he served her food. But he wasn't very merciful either. For hours he would leave her deserted, returning only at dinner time. Even though Natsumi had never seen his face, she knew that he had no personal enmity with her. When she had regained consciousness, he had explained things to her in a gruff voice, however, not revealing the reason why she was kidnapped. He merely told her that she would be safe with him.

_It's gonna be my birthday soon_ thought Natsumi as she lay in the dark, stiff with lack of movement. She gave a long sigh and looked up at the ceiling which had a tiny window, realizing it was already dark. "I wonder how Ban and Ginji are doing," she whispered to herself in the dark. She wondered if anyone had even noticed her gone. She knew Hevn would be worried sick about her as she hadn't spoken to her for quite some time. She knew that Paul would get restless after a few days if she would not return within the designated period. Her kidnapper had made her call him and inform him about her safety. He had confiscated her cell phone, her backpack and even the sweet cat that had lured her into his trap. All that remained was her digital watch, which showed that only a week was left for her birthday. The tiny cat on the dial gave a soft digital-sort of meow as the clock struck 9:00 PM. She smiled at the watch (which was a gift from her father), remembering him, who was, luckily away on a business trip to the States. She missed him terribly.

But most of all, she missed _him._

She missed everything about him, the way he stood, with his hands in his pockets as he leaned casually against the wall; the way he pushed his glasses up his nose, the way he gazed at her through those bewitching blue eyes……

Just thinking about his eyes made Natsumi shudder. She was very anxious to know about his well being. She knew he could take care of himself, but her heart would never listen to her. She desperately hoped that he would come and rescue her and the story would end like a fairytale. But her thoughts turned to misery as she realized that he would never fall for a child like her. He was so strong, so handsome…..and she was just a little high-school girl with a silly little crush. Natsumi always knew that something was going on between him and Himiko-chan and her worst suspicions were confirmed when Hevn told her about their traumatic past. Hot tears gushed down as her face as she thought of the two of them. Meanwhile, her captor silently watched her every move, confused to see the girl shedding tears for no reason at all.

"Ban you do realize Natsumi's birthday is fast approaching, right?" asked Ginji. "Of course I do," snapped Ban. "we'll have to get out of this hellhole soon or say buh-bye to eel sushi and her special dessert….Darn, where the hell is that geek boy when you need him, huh? You don't think its another of his psychotic plans to make the two of us visit him more often, do ya?" "no ban, he won't do such a thing," said Ginji, frowning. Ginji looked very thoughtful. (A/N: takes a picture that's not something you get to see often…wink wink) All he knew was that Makubex was in serious trouble and needed immediate help. So, the duo had ushed to Maze city to only find the entire city enveloped in darkness. Little did he know that the phone call they received was a hoax. The truth was that Ginji and the others were fooled by the Gods of Maze city. It was a mere cowardly attempt to finish the GBs. A skilled Programmer had attacked the young programmer leaving a helpless Sakura and an unaware Ban……

**so, how did u like da story?? i know u guys review, thanx!!! I really appreciate it cuz it motivated me 2 write more...plz keep R&R!!!**

**love all you guys!!!**

**chibisyaoran07...ur 1 n only...**


	4. It's You!

**Konnyachiwa! I'm back!! Sorry to keep you waiting!**

**Hope you like this 1….is a bit boring, but I' have done my best!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story…nothing…. (Sobs)**

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Sakura gulped some water and took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. After carrying her home, Shido and Haruki had taken her straight to Madoka who put a comforting arm around the shocked girl. After changing into some warm clean clothes, Sakura began to narrate her story: 

"Around day-before yesterday when Maze city was under perfect control, Makubex received a certain text message from Ginji. Unaware that it was actually a trap, on viewing the message, he was horrified to see that the whole of Maze city was slowly shutting down. All programs ceased to operate and Makubex tried his level best to stop it, but he couldn't succeed. The last blow was when hired assassins attacked him. I got away just in time; I didn't want to; but he said that it's very important for me to tell this to Ban and Ginji that apparently a woman they know is in trouble," she finished, as tears began to pour down her cheeks. Madoka's grip on her hand tightened. Sakura looked up, surprised but Madoka quickly silenced her by saying, "I may not be able to see you, but I definitely know what is going on inside you." Sakura smiled for the first time in three days. It felt nice to see that there were people in the world who cared about you and not just your position or power and people who would be sad if you would not exist anymore.

Just then, a loud noise of breaking glass was heard and a terrified Hevn leapt in, followed by a barking Mozart, who was trying feverishly to nip her ankles. "What are you doing here?" asked Shido, annoyed to see the woman who's neckline was dangerously low again. "Will you get this dog of me or are you waiting for it to devour me??!!" she screamed. "You shouldn't have barged in like that, you know. Mozart is very sensitive of pesky intruders," said Haruki, stroking Mozart's fur. Hevn breathed loudly and sat down, and that's when her gaze fell on Sakura, who's right cheek had a big bandage and by her gingerly movements, Hevn suspected broken ribs. However, first come first. She turned to Madoka and told her in a single breath, "Natsumi's-missing-since-the-past-three-days-and-i-don't-know-what-to-do." Madoka frowned and said, "Sorry. Didn't catch that." Hevn repeated her sentence and now it was everyone else's turn to look aghast. Madoka felt terribly frightened and all heads turned to Sakura, everyone except Hevn, of course, who didn't have a clue of what was going on. Sakura herself looked shocked. **_They have……………Natsumi?!_**

Meanwhile, Makubex was still unconscious. Fudo brushed a strand of hair away from the boy's face and snarled at an attendant, "Where is the girl? Kagami, you said that she would be here soon-" "No doubt, she will be here soon. Patience, my dear friend," smirked Kagami. "This is the moment I have been waiting for all my life," said Fudo, a weird gleam in his eyes. "Do not forget that we planned the downfall of the great programmer Makubex, as well," grinned Kagami. Fudo grinned back.

All this while, the GBs had been taking shelter in a tumble down shack since it had been pouring continuously from the past few days. Ginji had fallen asleep but Ban was till awake. Somehow the rain reminded him of **her.** Her beautiful, soft, raven-black hair glistened like that when light fell on it. But her best features were her big, beautiful eyes, an infinite grey. And that's what made Ban fall madly in love with her. Those big beautiful eyes that were daring enough to stare right into his ocean-blue ones, ever since the first time they met. You could just make out her reflection in his glasses, gaping at him, with awe, wonder and confusion as they stared at him. Yes, those big, beautiful, expressive eyes that he loved so much. But **_she would_** **_never know…_**he thought as he looked at his partner, fast asleep. He wondered if she was waiting for him in the café as usual, with a smile on her lips, her hands as soft as silk as they gently examined the wounds inflicted on the two of them. She was an ordinary girl but Ban could not explain why **_he_** found her out of the ordinary.

"Ban-sama….aishiteru…." murmured Natsumi softly as she tossed and turned in her sleep. The truth was, she was only pretending. Her captor watched her silently, careful not to wake the tired girl. In order to pull the blanket over her, he walked across the room when Natsumi stuck out her leg and tripped him up. Oh no, it was not an accident. Natsumi was tired of lying in that dingy room and she wanted answers fast and to begin with, she needed to know her captor. Her captor fell and turned around angrily to find Natsumi holding up a kitchen knife. Exactly how did she get it, nobody would ever know.

Natsumi's mouth fell open in shock. As the cloak fell off, there in front of her stood a girl, her dark blue bangs covering her oddly glittering eyes. "Himiko-chan?!" croaked Natsumi, shocked. "Why? Aren't we supposed to be friends………?" Himiko's bottom lip began to tremble. Without warning, she burst into tears and hugged Natsumi, sobbing uncontrollably. Natsumi was surprised. This wasn't certainly what she had expected. "He would have killed me…..if I didn't kidnap you……I didn't know what to do…he's got the medicine…the only thing that can get the voodoo curse off me…..so that I can lead a normal life again…I didn't mean to hurt you, Natsumi-chan…..its just that……………. I was so afraid……" gasped Himiko. Natsumi couldn't help feeling sorry for the girl. From what she had seen, she always thought Himiko was a fearless woman in Chinese clothes, ready to lash out at the enemy. A **_cruel_** woman. But this Himiko was much younger than she thought. Natsumi's heart went out to her. "Don't worry, Himiko-chan. I'm with you," said Natsumi, hugging her tightly. "We'll get the medicine and get out of here as well." just then, the door banged open and all Natsumi could remember was a blinding flash of light as a high pitched scream echoed across the deserted warehouse.

"That's the reason why Natsumi's missing. I think those Babylon gods have her," finished Haruki. Hevn was shocked. This was much serious than she had thought. "Ban and Ginji, where are you?" she thought as she tried to call them, but the call couldn't get through. She was so worried about the two of them, but Shido's suggestion gave her some relief, "Hey bimbo, we are with you on this. Don't get any crazy ideas and do anything rash, ok?" Hevn smiled and nodded. She decided to go home and think about it. She waved goodbye to Madoka and patted Mozart's head as she walked past him. Getting into a cab, she couldn't help thinking why the gods had Natsumi and not any other important Volts leader. Lost in her thoughts, she paid the driver and began to look for the key in her purse. She found it quickly and opened the door. Switching on the lights, she decided to go and have bath. Later, on coming out of the steamy bathroom, wrapped in a bathrobe, she logged in on her comp to find several messages from Dr. Jackal and one from Shido. "Hevn, we shall investigate into Natsumi's matter tomorrow. Please be there **_early_**." She frowned at the emphasized word from Jackal. She knew she took a long time in getting dressed, but still…………..

**_Don't worry, Nat. We are coming to get you. Just stay where you are, _**Were the words she murmured before she was engulfed by sleep.

They started early the next day. Sakura was dressed in her kimono again and Shido and Haruki looked the same. On entering Maze city, weird looks were cast at them only due to a certain blonde-haired woman who was clad in a purple shirt (A/N: first and second buttons were open, thank you very much) and black tight pants, revealing a bit two much of her voluminous figure. Dr. Jackal had a thin-lipped smile on his face.

They were annoyed to see that the lights weren't back yet and when it began to get dark, the only light they had, was from Hevn's cell phone. Well, I'm not sure if any of you have noticed yet, but, Dr. Jackal's accompanying the gang. Come on, has the guy ever done anything without a motive? He doesn't have values like friendship and kindness, so there has to be a reason why he's with them. Well, it's because of a certain blonde-haired young woman who offered him loads of cash. And also, as he'll get many mindless duds in Maze city so that he can have a bit of **_fun_**. Meanwhile, our GBs had got past Makubex's infinite traps and were making their way to Babylon city. Yes, they still had a long way to go.

Sipping coffee in his favourite tea cup, Paul absent mindedly turned the pages of the newspaper and gazed out of the window to see the whole of Shinjuku, buzzing with life, except, the huge structure, looming in the distance. "It's been almost a week since those boys haven't returned and Natsumi hasn't turned up yet. I really am worried now," he muttered as he set his cup down. He remembered his days as a plunderer and grinned. He thought of his comrades, one was probably far away in some other continent and the other was resting in a grave. He remembered the crazy days and felt slightly jealous of the GBs, they were still young. But right now, Natsumi was worrying him. She hadn't turned up and hadn't called him. He knew she wasn't the irresponsible type. She would always value her job, even if it is that of a waitress. But Paul also knew the real reason she worked there. She didn't need any money as she was quite rich. In the beginning he had bought the story-"repayment of debt as they retrieved my memento for me" but later on; he suspected a winged creature, striking an arrow right at her heart. It had struck, leaving a wound that would never heal. The wound of love. Those words sounded so soppy, but his young employee was in love with an insane guy. The fool loved her as well and in spite of Paul's infinite efforts, the two couldn't tell each other. As her Birthday was approaching, Paul hoped the evil-eyed freak would muster the courage to tell her. As he knew Natsumi would never tell him.

Just then, the door opened to reveal Paul's former comrade, Azuma, who grinned as if to say "hello." Ever since he killed Sakai or Ishibashi (another plunderer), the guy had been away on a long "vacation" abroad. Paul, happy to see him, offered him a cup of tea. The two old men sat quietly, enjoying each others company. All was still until a certain guy with a bandana, banged the door open and staggered in. his young face was lined with weariness and his silver eyes showed the trauma he had endured in those few days. "Please… I need to find Paul………." He said, barely audible. Paul stood up and said, "What's up? You are Makubex, aren't you?" "Yeah…please…can you transfer this into Maze city's main archive….Chan will do the rest….for the defeat of those Babylon guys…" "but-"began Paul; Makubex interrupted, "I'll help you...Just get it done... One thing, it's for Ginji. Please..." pleaded Makubex. Paul looked grim but said, "You have a deal."

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**So, how did you like it so far? Promise you, there are many more chapters to come! Sorry if I'm dragging on with the story but, I have to; I know no one was expecting Himiko to be the kidnapper, I didn't myself! Well, sorry to drag on with the kidnapping, but I'm enjoying myself so, bear with it……like to make my adorable readers wait… (Grins evilly)…so please, please, please R&R!!!!! **


	5. Rescue Mission

**sorry to keep you waiting but I have been busy with college...**

**got m'exams fast approaching...lolz...**

**anywayz, this is a slightly enlightening chappie...hope u like it!!**

**PS: I have created a new character...tell me if u like it!!**

**Discalimer: as always, I own nothing...**

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Natsumi opened her eyes after blinking several times. She was in an enclosed room where all sorts of gadgets were kept. Groaning, she tried to move but the ropes that were binding her ankles were too tight. Just then, the door opened and a man walked in. His light blonde hair and his eerie smile made Natsumi shiver. The guy was edging closer to her, a hungry expression on his face as he surveyed her long legs under her uncomfortably short skirt. But the timely entrance of another man saved her. The newcomer had an air about him that made Natsumi really scared; perhaps, it was due to the smirk on his face. With a single stretch, he pulled Natsumi up with her hair. Natsumi didn't scream but her face betrayed her agony. "How about a stroll, missy?" asked the man, who was actually Fudo. Natsumi stiffened but Fudo was already whispering into her ear, "Let's see how long your friends will take to get here. If they are late, well, they may see more than just an empty room…perhaps a corpse as well………" 

………………………………………………………………………………

"Earth to Ban-chan," said Ginji exasperatedly as he tried to get his partner interested again. Ban turned around to face him as they stopped yet over again to discuss Ban's 'so called' love life. "Look, Ban-chan, if you don't tell her soon, she may go with someone else-" began Ginji but Ban raised one eyebrow and said coolly, "Don't tell whom what?" "Come on, Ban-chan. After spending all these days with you, I know you inside out. You can't hide anything from me," smirked Ginji. "I never thought you would fall for Natsumi-chan…..still, I can figure it out. The smile; the way you drive, its no longer the same when she is in the car, more law abiding, aren't we? And of course, you are more even tempered now-a-days, Ban-chan. That's definitely something!" he finished as Ban looked at him, his eyes popping out. "Am I really that obvious?" thought Ban as he frowned at the thought of Ginji and Hevn debating about his feeling towards the waitress. He was rudely interrupted form his thoughts as he noticed two silhouettes approaching from the darkness. Slowly, many forms emerged. On proximity, he was startled to see that Zoo-boy and that clown were among them. But something among them was not **quite** right. His suspicions were confirmed when they suddenly started attacking the duo. Hevn was among them, to Ban's immense surprise and Ginji's utter shock. They swiftly dodged the attacks, careful not to hurt their friends. "Guys, what's up? Are you mad at me 'cause I haven't visited you for such a time?" yelled Ginji but Ban saw that they were controlled by tiny strings attached to their neck. Even though he wasn't present at that time, the others had given him a full account of the Himiko-Kazuki incident during which Kazuki's rival had controlled Himiko in a similar manner. With a grim smile of victory, Ban wrenched the string but to his dismay, it stayed there like a leech stuck to its prey. It was no use. They either had to kill them or get **themselves** killed. But the noblemen the GBs are, they would never risk injuring their friends. And so, they just stayed there and got themselves beaten up. A certain someone watching the show from his secret camera grinned in approval. "Everything is going according to plan," he smirked as he switched it off to see the last scene in which Ginji was dodging Jackal's Bloody Sword.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Done. The transfer is complete but it may take 3 hours for it to be applicable, "sighed Makubex. "So, what is all this about, huh?" asked Paul as he handed the tired programmer a cuppa. "Well, I was first kidnapped, **yet over again,** and Ban and Ginji are hunting like fools all over Mugenjou to find me. It's those Babylon guys again. I think they are tired of seeing me rule lower town or it may be a silly attempt to finish off Ban and Ginji," he said, casually. Paul stared at him. Perhaps seeing killing everyday had made the 14-year-old kid a bit 'airy' of the situation. **_Perhaps this is how the raitei was before. _**But on seeing Makubex's intent and serious face, Paul realized that it was a mere attempt to mask his worry and fear. Respect flared up inside him as he watched Makubex clicking away at the computer, rarely pausing for a sip of tea. Suddenly, a tiny window popped up on the computer and Paul saw his young employee, bound and gagged, dark circles under her eyes due to her sobbing. All the men stared open-mouthed as Fudo interrogated the scared girl. Paul slammed his fist unto the table as the window disappeared. He couldn't believe it. All these days he had been sitting calmly, as his young employee, who was more like a daughter to her, was surviving in Mugenjou, her condition more pitiable then anyone else's on the surface of the earth. He flicked out his cell phone and tried calling Ban and Ginji, but apparently, the morons had switched off their cell phones. Helplessly, he looked out of the window, praying that Natsumi was OK.

XoXoXoXo

After about an hour of Hopscotch in Mugenjou, the GBs were astonished to see their friends groan and collapse on the ground. After a few anxious moments which involved Ginji screaming like a girl, "Oh no! We have killed them! I told you not to use the Evil Eye!" and Ban, losing his cool and hitting the blonde retriever, the gang woke up to find the GBs staring at them. "What are **_you_** doing here? Aren't you supposed to be- hey, we are in Mugenjou!" exclaimed Hevn as she looked at Ginji, who was clinging to her like a baby. The others examined their surroundings and even Jackal looked pleased to find Ban and Ginji. "My, My, My…..you sure kept us in the dark for such a long time! You were in here all along!" he drawled. "You mean you guys don't remember anything you did in here?" asked Ginji as Ban sweat-dropped. "No…why, did something exciting happen?" asked Shido, perplexed. "….long story…" murmured Ginji. "That reminds me!' exclaimed Hevn. "We were here to find Natsumi-" she began but Ban interrupted, "Natsumi? What happened?" Hevn surveyed him through her amber eyes for a second, a smile playing on her red lips as she thought of how much Natsumi would jump when she heard that Ban felt the same way about her as she did. But, right now, she was probably stuck in this dark place. She quickly explained things to Ban who's face resembled a ghost's by the end of the tale as he thought of her, alone and weak. He couldn't say he didn't expect it. He knew all along that he could not love another woman ever again for he feared that she would be taken away just like **her.**

**FLASHBACK**

"Ban-chan! Ban-chan!" yelled a teenager, her face shining with sweat after working all day. Ban emerged from the kitchen to see a pretty girl, her beautiful blonde hair glistening in the sunshine, her eyes shining like emeralds. "Yui, don't shriek like that! I was fixing a meal you know," he scowled. Yui grinned at him. She ran up to him and flung her arms around his neck and gave him an affectionate peck on the cheek. "I just wanted to tell you that I think you're the coolest person in the world!" Ban turned red. He fervently hoped that Yamato and Himiko hadn't seen that or he would be subjected to another torture. Last times words were still ringing in his head-Yui and Ban-chan, sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G….first comes love…then comes marriage…then comes a baby…in a carriage!!!

Unfortunately, someone else had seen that and just a few days after that incident; Ban had found a note that said something about her being kidnapped. On reaching the scene, he found that he was too late. He had only reached in time to see her scream as a long metallic hand pierced her body. he had tried saving her by rushing her to the hospital. But she gave in soon.

"Ban-chan, I will always pray for you and watch over you from up there," she whispered as she raised her hand towards the ceiling. She then collapsed in his arms, drenched in his tears.

(END OF FLASHBACK)

The truth was he never had any feelings for Himiko. Their love was purely one-sided. He treated Himiko like his younger sister but she mistook his feelings. But now, all was clear. Hs had moved on and so had she.

So this was the sad truth about why Ban Mido never told Natsumi Mizuki about his true feelings. He was afraid she would be taken away from him. He couldn't bear to lose another person he cared about. (A/N: Ginji is an exception since he can defend himself) he knew this was another rescue mission. Which this time, involved a black-haired girl. And the determined look on his face clearly meant that he won't lose to anyone. He would get her back, even if it's the last thing he ever did.

* * *

**So, how did u like it? like the character, Yui? I've used my name...hehehe...me and Ban-chan...(starry eyes)...just give you some background info on her:**

**she was with Ban, Himiko and Yamato when they worked together. she had a crush on Ban-chan...hehehe...Ban liked her as well...but then, fudo found out and killed her...he held her ransom first but then, since ban didn't some on time, he finished her...suggest some unusual powers for her...dunno wat 2 use...**


	6. Losing You

**hey guys, m back again! (quicker dan usual, eh?) **

**I just wanted 2 tell u dat i was kinda annoyed with happy endings so, this is gonna be da chappie in which some character dies!**

**forgive me, but i had 2 do dis!**

**anywayz, enjoy!**

**and ya,**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned GB, would I be sitting like this, writing fanfics?? I would pair up Ban and Natsumi in da anime itself...lolz...**

* * *

**_She was walking in the darkness, frequently stumbling and accidentally stepping into puddles. Her umbrella was no use as her legs were completely drenched by the falling rain. She seemed to be searching for someone, but she couldn't remember who it was. She finally came to the bridge and watched the traffic below for sometime. The scene of a thousand cars honking and speeding by flashed before her eyes and she suddenly had a wild desire to jump. She leaned forward in her state of semi-unconsciousness and plummeted down into the road. Passers by screamed and a girl covered her face. His face seemed to fade slowly. It seemed to go further and further, right into the darkness. His look of utter shock discomfited her and his shout echoed throughout Shinjuku, "Natsumi! Natsumi!" _**

"Natsumi! Natsumi!" cried a female voice, weak with hunger. Natsumi woke up reluctantly to find Himiko peering at her, her eyes full of worry. "What is it…" she asked blearily, to find the girl struggling with her ropes. But the door banged open as Fudo walked in again. He grinned at Natsumi and Himiko, who were suddenly as stiff as deer caught in the headlights. "My dear, play time is over...its time to get serious," he smiled as Natsumi shivered. She hadn't a clue about his identity. All she knew was that the guy was called Fudo as his henchmen addressed him in that way. "Take the other one…I don't need her. Finish her off if you have to," smirked Fudo as he thrust Himiko into Kagami's arms. Kagami looked at her, an unpleasant smile playing on his face as he replied contently, "with all due pleasure."

Fudo dragged Natsumi into a room which looked quite ordinary except the fact that it was so enormous that 50 Honky Htonks could fit into it and that there was a flight of steps that led to nowhere. She looked up but she could not see the ceiling. Fudo slowly began to climb the steps, which was difficult considering the fact that he had to drag Natsumi along and one wrong move would result in instant death. They rose higher and higher until Natsumi felt quite dizzy to look down. They finally stopped, a little above a raised platform. Her knowledge of Mugenjou was quite vast considering the fact that her good friend was the Raitei. He had once told her about the various illusions that existed in Maze City and so she was sure that this room was among Maze City's Marvels. Fudo watched her with amusement as she drank in every detail of the room. "You know what this room is, girl? It's the room of the Thousand Stairs, something not everyone is destined to see. Consider yourself lucky if you have to die here," he chuckled as he saw her face, which had turned even paler than usual. She wondered how long she would have to wait in that terrifying room. Fudo seemed as anxious as her. He kept murmuring stuff like, "this is the moment I have been waiting for….don't disappoint me, Mido…" her ears had pricked up at the mention of his name but she could not understand why. Just when she had thought all was lost, the door banged open and someone seemed to be running below.

Natsumi leaned forward to see who it was but she could not as they were really high up in the air. Half a second later she saw people rushing up and with a jolt she realized it was Ban and Ginji, followed by Haruki, Shido, Dr. Jackal and Hevn. Fudo realized this as well as he stood up. He screamed into the darkness, "Stop where you are, Mido! Unless you want her alive!" he slowly began to descend, dragging Natsumi along as well. As she came into focus, Ban couldn't help losing his temper. His eyes scanned the bruises and cuts inflicted on her but what he felt most agitated about was the fact that her eyes had lost the dazzle they had. They were a hollow-empty dark grey, appearing almost black. The past few days had left her most vulnerable and there was a definite loss in weight as she saw the way her clothes sagged. He would **never** forgive Fudo for that.

** Never. **

"Leave her alone! You can do whatever you like to me!" spat Ban, his eyes burning with hatred. Memories of Yui flashed before his eyes and for a moment, he faltered. **_I can't bear to lose anyone_** **_else._** "I won't hurt her if you surrender quietly," whispered Fudo. The rest of the gang watched Ban intently as he strode forward, proud and haughty. Natsumi wanted to shout a warning but Fudo's look silenced her. She watched, terrified, as Ban stood in front of them, his eyes fixed on Fudo's face. He didn't even glance at her. All of a sudden, he lunged forward and pulled her towards him. But unfortunately, Fudo was quicker and even if he did let go of Natsumi, he didn't leave her unhurt. Natsumi watched in a daze as she saw her right side soaked with blood in seconds. Ban leapt forward with an angry roar but Fudo's blow made him stumble and down he fell, like a feather floating into the yawning darkness.

Natsumi's scream echoed as the rest of them leapt into action. Taken by surprise, Fudo could not defend himself and so, Ginji's blow silenced him forever. But Kagami's entrance spelt more trouble for them. Soon, Dr. Jackal was locked in serious combat with the Diamond-Dust Master while Himiko was helping Natsumi escape. But Natsumi could not move. She stared into the darkness, hoping that the Jagan would return with his usual dramatic style. She wouldn't leave without him. What was the use of her living? But not even **he** could survive that fall. An impatient shove made her snap out of her thoughts. She didn't know when she was knocked out by Himiko's perfume. She guessed that loss of blood was the cause of her light- headedness. Ginji's face swam before her as he slowly picked up her lifeless form. The last thing she remembered was seeing Ginji's face contorted with worry as they raced out of the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**_Last night's dream, it was not right. She had interpreted it all wrong. Now as the whole scene played in her head, she realized that he was plummeting into the ground, and not her. As she watched from below the bridge, she realized that she had never really stood there. He was the one who was standing there. While she stood below and watched him fall, a weird smile that traced his lips. But soon, the smile turned into horror as he realized he was going, going, gone…._**

Even as shewoke up, her eyelashes glistening due to the infinite tear drops spilling from her eyes, she could not erase the cries of "Natsumi! Natsumi!" from her mind. She woke up with a jolt to find herself in a spotlessly clean room; the smell of medicines and phenol made her nose twitch. The large French windows were wide open revealing a breathtakingly beautiful day. Seeing her awake, a motherly looking nurse exclaimed in delight, "oh! You're awake! You know, you are one of the luckiest girls in the world, to have such good friends who think the world of you! Now that's more important then money or fame, is it not? I think they are waiting for you outside. I didn't have the heart to rouse them, they were all so tired! Hey-don't go!" but Natsumi was already pushing her bed clothes aside, her hospital gown billowing in the warm breeze as she did so. She paused at the doorway; her side was hurting her again. Her painful gasps made the nurse come hurrying over, chiding her for her carelessness. But Natsumi big beseeching grey eyes had worked their magic again and the nurse relented with a sigh. Natsumi escaped from her clutches before she could change her mind and ran outside to see Haruki, Shido and Ginji fast asleep. Hevn was dozing off and the only person who seemed wide awake was Kurudo-san. She stumbled and fell right into his arms and looked straight up into his cold violet eyes. "Where is Ban-san? Do you know where he is, Akabane-san?'' she asked him and perhaps, for the first time ever in his life, Akabane looked sad. As we all know, spending time with high school girls can change a person (Reiko) but not completely. And sympathizing with his archrival, Mido-kun, was not…er….exactly normal. But something was different about the soft-spoken waitress; she did cast a spell on anyone she conversed with. (No pairing up, please!) He had to get it over with, and fast.

He looked at her and simply said, "He's dead, Mizuki-chan. He's dead."

* * *

**So, did u like it? I'm so sorry, I cud not help it!! plz 4give me, Ban Mido-sama fans...had 2 do dis 2 make da story interesting...**

**love u all,**

**until next time den, MSB.**


	7. The Return and the Confession

**hey! howdy everyone?**

**can't reveal anything...may-be the name already has...**

**so, read on!!**

* * *

"_Where is Ban-san? Do you know where he is, Akabane-san?'' she asked him. _

_He looked at her and simply said, "He's dead, Mizuki-chan. He's dead."_

Sitting at the edge of cliff, he brushed his hair out of his eyes, his ocean-blue eyes staring into the horizon. Hitching up his glasses, he couldn't help thinking of the events that had taken place in the past few days. He was sitting in the place where the GBs used to not hang out very often- the beach. He remembered the time when he and Ginji "supposedly" had to go to the beach for a mission, but ended up gaping at women clad in bikinis. He thought that their reputation had been ruined for sure, but she had, unexpectedly, carried out a mission herself, thereby saving their asses. He wondered if he had the same feelings for her back then. She always was so quiet, so unnoticed, yet she carved a place for herself in everyone's heart. Even that Zooboy and that crazy doctor thought she was sweet.

She was so mature, yet so pure. But he knew that after the incident that had taken place, he could never look into her eyes ever again. It was for her own good- that was the vague reassurance he gave himself. He knew that if they hadn't got there in time, they would be attending her funeral right now. It was all his fault. He never should have fallen in love with her. He almost felt ashamed to admit that she had him wrapped around her fingers. But the vain and haughty character he was, he would never admit how he felt. And his reason was- They were different, totally different. The lives they lead, they were two worlds apart.

**_As different as the sun and the rain._**

The life he led was full of danger, action and uncertainty. He could never say that he would see the next sunrise. But her life was what we define as normal. Completely normal. Going to school, coming home, working in Honky Htonk and chasing cats, having a safe and secure life. She probably deserved someone who had a cool job, some CEO of some enormous firm, who would love her with all his heart and endow her with presents. The last thought left a bitter taste in his mouth as he got up, stretching his legs. Kicking a pebble aside, he decided to walk back since he didn't have his car.

………………………………………………………………………………..

"I'm home!' she shouted into an empty house. Taking her keys with her was a smart thing to do as her father had not returned yet. She smelt the homey smell that always hung around her apartment. It was a small affair, not very grand. But still, it was home. She decided to have some hot coffee as she watched TV; her favorite show was on air. It was amazing how she had recuperated so quickly and she knew it was all thanks to her friends. But she still couldn't erase his thoughts from her mind. She couldn't believe it, **_he was dead_**. The day Jackal had told her, her eyes had simply gone blank. But now as the truth sank in, she slowly sat down, crying pitifully. She knew her loss was nothing compared to Ginji-Chan's, but it was very difficult to accept the fact that the first guy who truly caught her attention was already a part of the void. She ran to her room, which was full of stuffed toys, mainly cats. Here and there, she had tacked up posters of cats in various moods and positions; they were her only source of comfort after a crappy day.

But on the bedside table, hidden away from prying eyes, was a tiny miniature cat with a bell round its neck. On pressing the bell, the toy-cat sprang open to reveal the picture of a young man she yearned to see. She remembered the laborious work that had gone in, in order to get a simple picture of Ban. He looked simply perfect in it. It was a wallet sized picture which she carried with her everyday. Cradling the cat in her arms, she fell asleep, dreaming of him.

She woke up next day to see a lovely sunrise. It was so cruelly beautiful, as though mocking her. Getting dressed, she took her bicycle keys that were hanging next to the doorway. She reached Honky Htonk in record time and Paul was surprised to find her there. "You should have taken the day off, Natsumi," he said, shaking his head. But Natsumi just forced a smile and began to wash the dishes. As she wiped a dish for the hundredth time, a voice drawled from a corner, "You missed that spot."

Natsumi froze, a most comical expression taking over her face. Ginji was acting as though nothing had happened. "Ban-san? How did you-" she began but Ban interrupted, "you don't think that ordinary fall could kill me, do ya?" "Hai, Natsumi-chan. Ban-sama is invincible!" yelled Ginji, hugging his best pal. But Ban merely shrugged, hitting Ginji on his head. Watching the two of them, she could not help smiling. She was so relieved. She reminded herself, "Next time I meet Akabane-chan, I'm going to give him a **big** piece of my mind."

As she turned around, placing the wine glasses carefully, Ginji looked at Ban with an annoyed expression on his face. Ban looked up with one raised eyebrow to see Ginji edge closer and say, "Hey, Ban-chan! Are you never going to tell Natsumi-chan how you feel?" 'Keep your voice low, baka! She may hear you," snarled Ban angrily. "Let her, then. It's about time you be a man," said Ginji, irritated. Just then, the door swung open and Hevn walked in. Her long blonde hair was swinging behind her as she walked to the GBs. Ginji greeted her with a smile, while Ban merely held up a hand. Hevn smiled at Natsumi who grinned back. Everything was back to normal. At least that's what Natsumi thought. But Hevn's next remark made her look up. "Weren't you glad to see Ban, Natsumi?" asked Hevn, grinning impishly.

Ban quickly glanced at Natsumi to see her cheeks turn a pale pink. She seemed very flustered and Ban couldn't help blushing himself. With an attempt to end the uncomfortable silence between them, he hurriedly switched on the radio and tuned in to his favorite radio channel. He liked listening to the lady who spoke on J-pop as she had a very melodious voice. But to his immense shock and embarrassment, 'love-hour' was on and Miyuki was excitedly saying, "can't tell him/her how you really feel? Afraid of rejection? Pick up your phone and call us right now! I, Miyuki, the perfect matchmaker, can help you with your itsy-bitsy love life! By playing cupid, I can get the two of you together, forever! Don't waste life's precious moments! Anyways, the next song is Sotsugyou requested by Taka for Ayumi! Keep listening!"

**_Moshimo hitotsu dake  
Tatta hitotsu dake  
Kanaerara nara  
Nani o inoru kana_**

**_Ima doko ni iru no?  
Ima dare to iru no?  
Aoi sora miyage…  
Sotto toikakaeru._**

**_WITH YOU sugu soba ni  
Ita koro no kimi ga inai  
WITH YOU hanaretemo  
Kawaranai-_**

And Ban switched off the radio in a hurry. He was mortally afraid of such mushy songs. They made him feel funny. Really funny. He got up and decided to go for a walk inorder to avoid the stupid agent who was narrating to Ginji the way she blushed when she saw him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could that the waitress was still watching his every move with a confused look on her face. Catching his eye, she went red yet again. And thats when it struck Ban, **_does she like me as well?_**

Walking back to Honky Htonk, he opened the door to find complete silence except the soft crooning of a girl as she sang her favorite song. Ginji and Hevn seemed to have vanished and even Paul wasn't present. He nervously stepped ahead. hey, wait a minute...why am i nervous? I am Ban mido after all...saying this to himself, he walked ahead, his head held high, to find Natsumi finishing the song with a dreamy look on her face. The setting sun had cast a golden glow on her face and her eyes were a liquid grey-black. The orange sunlight streaming in through the windows gave her an ethereal appearance. Tearing his eyes away from her, he said, "haven't you gone home yet?' "huh?" she looked up, her eys wide.

**Natsumi's POV**

How long has been standing there watching me? Control yourself, Natsumi, stop behaving like a desperate woman...

I think this is the right time to tell him…but no…I can't. well, may-be I can…ok…here goes….

"Ban-chan…" she began and Ban looked up, his eyes a vivid blue saying, "yeah…what?" "well I…just wanted to say…for quite sometime…" she said, going red. Ban looked at her, trying to be calm. His heart was beating like a drum against his chest. He was sure…this was it. He felt really guilty about the fact that inspite of loving her, he had to deny it.

"Ban-chan…..I really like you," she whispered. Time seemed to stand still as she looked into his ocean-blue orbs. When blue met grey, moments seemed suddenly **so** long. Remembering his solemn oaths, he shrugged and got up. Natsumi watched him, her eyes wearing a perplexed look. Looking straight into her eyes, he said, "I am sorry, but I don't think I feel in the same way." His eyes were so cold, so empty. He almost seemed enraged. Natsumi got up and said, "I'm sorry…I don't know what had got into me…" she took off her apron and stuffed it into her bag, her bangs covering her eyes. "Ja ne, Ban-san," she said and ran off to be enveloped by the growing darkness. Ban stood stock still. Never in his living memory had she said Ja ne (which meant good bye) but always Ja Mata ne (See you later). He didn't know why, but he felt really sad. That wasn't right, he was supposed to be overjoyed. He had done it. he had not surrendered to his emotions. But watching her fade away, he wasn't quite so sure.

The next day when Hevn came to know about the incident, she threw a fit and blamed Ban endlessly for being such a "Bakayaro" and also came close to tears. Ban just listened to her rant and got up just to say that he had had enough of the drama. Natsumi hadn't turned up for work that day and nobody wanted to know the reason why. They imagined her sitting quietly, sheddding tears over the past. But nothing that sort happened. She came a bit later than usual, thats all.

"hajimemashite, master! Gomen for being late! I just had to sort a few things out in school!" she yelled and got to her usual job of wiping the dishes. The only difference was in her attitude towards Ban. She was more polite and more stiff and formal when he was around. With Ginji and Hevn, she was the same cheerful 17-year old, smiling and laughing. But only Hevn could see through that mask, that mask that concealed her emotions so thoroughly.

So, after her duty at Honky Htonk was over, Natsumi found herself being led to an ice-cream parlour. She knew what was coming and so, she said, pulling herself away,"No, Hevn-sama. I have to get going. Otou-chan is coming home today." Hevn just glared at her and so, Natsumi followed quietly. "You have to tell me evrything that happened between the two of you. Everything," she said, emphasizing the last word. Natsumi shrugged and narrated the days events to her while Hevn listened attentively. She almost dropped her banana sundae when she heard the way Ban had reacted. "That bakayaro! I never should have given him any job!" "And you know what Hevn, the last few days have been very very troublesome for me. I never should have told Ban-san. Inspite of being a 17-year- old, I don't have the brains of a 12-year-old. Its not like I didn't expect the reply, I just got caught up in the moment. And now, I have ruined even the fragment of a relationship that existed between us," she said, quietly. Hevn looked at her, pity in her eyes. She said, "I know what it is like to experience sorrow, joy and sorrow yet again in a single day. Don't blame yourself, you did what your heart told you...**may-be he doesn't like you after all..."**

**so, how did you like it? I really couldn't kill my beloved Ban...lolz...**

**I think the rejection was what we all expected, right?**

**either ways, all I know is that this story is gonna be a long one...**

**so R&R, plz!!!**

**a million hugs and arigatous to all these people:**

**eXtreme eVolution**

**My-Angel-Wings**

**crimsonmoon08**

**ElizabethMarieBenett**

**Barane**

**Mr. Evil Eyes**

**CagalliRules**

**K-Chan Higu**

**cuteneji-kun**

**thank you for your support! couldn't have done this without you!! (sorry if I misspelt a few)**

**so, until next time then!**

**yours truly, MSB.**


	8. The sun and the rain

**_hey guys! just wanted to tell u, my exams were awesome! _**

**_so, m bak like anything!_**

**_this chapter is a bit shockin..._**

**_nywayz, read on!_**

**_

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"I hope Otou-chan isn't home yet," she thought as she opened the door slowly. To her surprise, her father was already home, looking weary but happy about something. "Otou-chan! How happy I am to see you!" she said, hugging her father lovingly. She clung to him like a baby koala would to his mother and her father simply smiled and said, "My dear Natsumi, it has been very dreary without you!" pulling her father, she said, "Otou-chan, you simply have to tell me about America! Is it really HUGE? OMG, I can't believe it!! My dad just visited one of the coolest countries in the world!!" chuckling, her father said, "I will tell you everything. I just got back as well. All I want right now is a cup of green tea," he said, wistfully. Natsumi nodded and returned with two cups of green tea and a plate of cookies as well. They sat down, father and daughter, savoring the stillness of the night. After a few moments, Mr. Mizuki said, "America is simply enormous. It's truly a place that we can only dream of…." And saying so, he began his fantastic tale about his 15-day stay in the country. Natsumi listened, her eyes widening with amazement. She had always dreamt of staying there. But it would always remain a dream. Until, her father said, "Natsumi, would you like to stay there?" Natsumi looked amazed. She stared at her father who laughed at her wonderstruck expression. "I'm not really sure…but after Kaori's death (A/N: Natsumi's mother…I don't know her real name), I no longer feel like living in Japan." Natsumi nodded, somber expression on her face. As she drank her tea, she wondered if her father had been serious. _**

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"Mizuki Natsumi, please come to the Principal's office right now," said a pleasant sounding woman. Natsumi's friends looked at her and said, "What did you do?"

Mouthing a silent I-don't-know, Natsumi stuffed the remnants of her lunch into the waste basket and opened the door of the cafeteria to leave for the principal's office. On reaching there, she knocked twice and heard a voice say sweetly, "Come in." Natsumi stepped in and said, "You called for me, ma'am?" "Ah yes, Natsumi. Remember the International Mathematics Championship exam you gave last year? Well, the results are out. And guess what? You have been selected to represent Japan at the International level! Well, of course, this means a lot of tedious work, but I'm sure you will scrape through!"

Natsumi felt numb. She wasn't sure if she had heard her principal correctly. **She was selected to** **represent her country**! She felt unreal. Her principal was still talking. "You will have to spend at least 3 years over there as they will be giving you many free seminars about how to improve your skills in the subject. It is also another way of bringing together many children of different nationalities. Either way, this clearly means that you will have to leave for your training as quickly as possible. This also means that you will have to do your schooling there. The exam is after 5 years and I **do** hope you win," she finished, smiling. Natsumi suddenly felt uneasy. The prospect of leaving Japan was very disturbing but, at the same time, staying in her America was like a dream come true. She forced a smile and said, softly, "Arigatou gozaimasu. But, I **do** need some time before I can decide." Her principal nodded and said, "of course."

As she walked her home, she broke the news to her friends. "NO WAY!' exclaimed a curly haired girl as she grabbed Natsumi's hand and stared at the rest of them. "Yes way, Chihiro. I have to do this. This is my dream," said Natsumi, her eyes all starry and bright. As the rest of them sweat-dropped, a girl with short dark hair smirked, "ya, right. This means you have to say sayonara to that blue-eyed guy, am I right?" Natsumi flushed. Ayumi was famous for her teasing, but this was a bit too much. "Hai," replied Natsumi, her face still red. The rest of the gang laughed as they saw her. They said, "Come on, Nat! You can't just leave like this. You like the guy, right? How can you leave without telling him?" Natsumi turned away. "I told him and he said no," she said, her eyes blank. The rest of them looked shell-shocked. After several moments, Michiko said, "you…you…actually mustered the courage to tell him? All eyes were on Natsumi. She nodded slowly. Thrusting a fist, Ayumi said indignantly, "man, that guy has got some nerve to reject you! If the baka ever comes before me, he won't know what's hit him!" Natsumi grinned while the rest of them laughed.

As she walked home, she passed by the park she used to play in when she was a child. Smiling, she threw back her long black pony tail as it danced in the wind. Looking at the Sakura trees that were abloom, she couldn't help feeling sad. Next summer, no Sakura trees would blossom in the place where she would be staying. True, America was a delightful place with its many suburbs and its places like Hollywood; she didn't feel like living this tiny island which was a part of Japan. She would miss living here. She would miss everything about this place. She would even miss Mugenjou; she just couldn't convince herself.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Shido, what do you think will be an ideal present for Natsumi-chan?" asked Madoka, as she fed Mozart some doggie treats. "I don't know….how about some perfume or some other girly stuff?" asked Shido. "No…..that's not quite right," she said, frowning. "I had something else in mind….do you think that girls always require such stuff?" she added in an icy tone. Shido looked amazed. Never had Madoka sounded so angry. She was always so kind and gentle. "Hey! Hey! Don't get all pissed, ok? I don't know…you decide," he said, shaking his head. Feeling Mozart's soft chocolate fur, she exclaimed, "I know just the present!"

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Ban," said the café owner, a look of annoyance flitting across his face before he reached over to get the newspapers. "Huh?" drawled Ban, looking up from his cell phone. With amazing speed and flexibility for one so old, Paul snatched the cell phone out of Ban's hand and stared at the screen only to face the picture of a sweet 17-year-old, fast asleep. There were many pictures of her, most of them featured her playing table tennis or dressed in what Ginji called as her "Honky Htonk Waitress uniform" Paul stared at Ban, who was determinedly avoiding his steely gaze. "You do like her, don't you?' asked Paul, amused. "Shut up," said Ban, still staring at the ground. "Why did you shy away like that when she told you? Should have taken a few chances, right?' asked Paul, grinning. "I could not-hey, wait a second! When did you see all that, old man?" asked Ban, annoyed. "I have my own ways," said Paul serenely. 'You mean that bimbo spied on us, yet again,' said Ban, still annoyed. "No…not her. Her trusted companion who's turning into **more** than a companion," said Paul, smiling, indicating the blonde retriever who was still fast asleep. Ban didn't reply but merely fished out a cigarette pack only to find it empty. "Damn…I'm out of smokes," he said, disappointed. "so….why did you deny it?' asked Paul, facing him, an interested look on his face. "And why do you think I will tell you?' asked Ban, bored. "Come on. Don't forget you still owe me 658,710 yen. I may take off a bit of the amount if you tell me," said Paul grinning. "I thought by assisting you and your **Plunderer friends**, we were already relieved of that debt," said Ban, shrewdly. "With the two of you earning nothing per month and your monstrous appetites, it doesn't take long for another tab to build up," said Paul, grinning again. Ban merely shrugged and looked pissed off. No way was he going to surrender to him. "You know what Ban?" asked Paul, staring out of the window. "She really likes you. You broke her heart."

"I did it for her."

"Oh yeah….explain yourself,' said Paul, sarcastically.

"Well, its common knowledge that the life I need is not exactly…normal," he shot back, acidly.

"Oh yeah…you mean the leaping and prancing around you do…..May-be…."

"We are different. She's too young….besides, I don't love her…it's just an attraction…"

"An attraction for which you risked your life; an attraction for which you take a weary trip across Shinjuku's muddy streets, everyday, mind you, Every. Single. Day; just to see if she's safe; an attraction for-"

"I KNOW IT, ALRIGHT!" bellowed Ban. "Don't preach!"

"So, apologize and tell her how you really feel," Paul continued, calmly.

"I can't. I just can't," he replied, taking a deep breath. "We are as different as the sun and the rain. Really different."

Paul stared at him. Never had he seen the Jagan so emotional. It was a tantalizing thought for him; to like a girl.

"Yeah, I agree. But have you ever thought about it from the other point of view? Only when the sun and the rain work in harmony, only then do they create life."

Ban stared at Paul, confused. He had never looked at it from that angle. Ban knew it that deep down he could never forget about her, no matter how much he tried. The sun and the rain….suddenly everything seemed to be clear to him. But deep down, he still wasn't quite so sure.

"I am outta here," he said, motioning towards the door. Paul merely nodded as Ban walked out.

"Hey Mr.! Would you like a fresh bunch of red roses for your lady love? They have just come in!" yelled a small boy, the florist's son. Ban shook his head and continued to walk ahead, his hands in his pockets. Even though it was early morning, the streets of Shinjuku were already buzzing with life and excitement. Walking further, he came to a park. There he saw a girl, her dark hair tied up in high pony, listening to her I-pod as she jogged. For a wild moment, he thought it was her but, to his immense relief; it was someone else he didn't know, He didn't know why, he saw her everywhere. In the park, on the streets, even on TV! The truth was that he tried to find her in little things in life. As he sat down on a bench, he tried in vain, yet again to convince himself that they weren't meant to be. He thought about Paul's words and couldn't help realizing how right the old guy was. He thought about Shido and Madoka. They were faced by a similar crisis. But what had Shido opted for? Madoka. The fact that she was beside him and loved him gave him the strength to defeat all his enemies. And Ban knew it. It was no use running away from the facts.

Getting up, he hurried back to the café only to find **her** there. Everyone was present-Ginji, Hevn and Paul. It looked as though she had just finished telling them something. She looked up when he entered. They were all looking scandalized about something and Ban suddenly felt cold. "What's up? Why the get together, huh?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent. Nobody responded. Ban promptly sat down on a revolving seat near the bar. He saw that Paul was too shocked to even notice his presence. Annoyed, Ban snarled, "Will someone care to tell me what's going on here?" Ginji turned to Ban, a sad look on his face, "Natsumi-Chan's leaving, Ban-chan."

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did u like it? did u? did u? 

plz R&R every1!!!

I'm waiting...

waiting...

waiting...

MSB.


	9. Its Party Time!

**So, this is the chapter in which the gang celebrates Nat's long-awaited birthday!!!**

**tell me if u like da party!**

**i hv used all innovative ideas dat came to my head when i was fast asleep!**

**u cud say dis chapter's a dream...**

**nywayz, read on!!**

**and ya sadly, I own neither Ban, Natsumi or anyone else...**

* * *

_** Annoyed, Ban snarled, "Will someone care to tell me what's going on here?" **_

_**Ginji turned to Ban, a sad look on his face, "Natsumi-Chan's leaving, Ban-chan."**_

Ban felt numb. He wasn't sure if he had heard Ginji right. She was leaving. But why?

As though answering his unspoken question, Natsumi said, without looking at him, "I have been selected for the exam I gave last year." Paul looked stunned. She continued, "I have to stay there so that I can pursue my dream of becoming the World's Greatest Mathematician!" generally, smiles would break out at this sentence, but today, nobody said anything. Natsumi always imagined herself in a long white overcoat, in a laboratory, with large eyeglasses on. Ginji said she would look kawaii and so, she had pursued the idea of being a professor in some field quite enthusiastically.

Ban simply stretched out his hand and said, "Well, from my side, it's congratulations." He didn't smile; he was too shy to do so. But Natsumi didn't shake his hand. She merely smiled and said softly, "Arigatou, Ban-chan." Ban's hand went limp. Quickly changing his look of utmost confusion, he valiantly attempted a smirk, but it wouldn't come. Hevn looked confused and said, "Do you have to go?" "Well, I _**do**_ have a choice," came the reply.

"Then don't go, Natsumi-chan!" exclaimed Ginji. "How do you think we'll survive without you? All the free food you have ever given us!" He was close to tears. Natsumi simply smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Ginji. But I-" before she could explain, Paul quickly spoke, "don't you worry about these two; they'll be just fine. You go on ahead with that exam of yours, Natsumi." Natsumi smiled and nodded. "I'll miss all you guys, a lot. It's going to be really difficult to leave Japan," she said, staring out of the window. Hevn suddenly clasped Natsumi's hands tightly and said, "Hey! How about we organize a farewell-cum-Birthday party for you?" Natsumi shook her head, "oh no, that won't be necessary. You don't have to do all that." "Of course we will, Natsumi-chan. You're our tomodachi," replied Ginji. Natsumi said, "I'm not really sure about all this."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Are you done yet?' asked Natsumi impatiently as Hevn applied the finishing touches of make up on her already crimson face. "Close your eyes. Don't you want to look stunning?' snapped Hevn as she applied Lavender eye shadow on Natsumi's soft eyelids. "There," said Hevn, a satisfied look on her face as she led Natsumi to a large full length mirror in her apartment. Natsumi gasped at her reflection. She looked what she would never admit she was: beautiful. She was wearing a simple strapless lavender dress with a pearl bracelet in her right hand and tiny pearl earrings. Her long black hair was arranged in a bun and Hevn had pulled a few strands out of the bun to create little ringlets that shook every time she moved her head. With a little bit of lip gloss and eye shadow, she looked resplendent.

"Arigatou, Hevn-chan! You are so sweet!' she exclaimed, hugging her best friend. Hevn merely wiped a tear out of her eye as she surveyed her through her misty amber eyes. "Don't cry, Hevn-chan. You'll spoil your make up," said Natsumi, grinning. The thought of looking like a ghost with faded mascara made Hevn give a great sniff and cease crying. "Now you run along outside. I'll be right there," she said, smiling weakly. Natsumi nodded and waited outside in the living room. After a few moments, Hevn emerged, wearing a black evening gown and a diamond necklace. Her long blonde hair swiveled with every step. She looked gorgeous. "Ginji-chan is going to drool when he sees you, Hevn-sama," said Natsumi, grinning. "Ginji?! What are you talking about-" began Hevn, blushing, but Natsumi interrupted, "I know everything, Hevn-chan. "lets go, now," said Hevn, still blushing.

They reached the café, which was still dark. "Do you reckon no one has arrived yet-" began Natsumi but her next few words were drowned by the loud chorus of "**_HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATSUMI-CHAN_**!" Natsumi squealed in delight as she saw all the people she had ever cared about, squeezed into the tiny café, beaming with happiness. Everyone was present- Shido, her dear friend, Madoka, who was looking like an angel in a dark blue evening gown; Haruki, who was wearing a tuxedo with a bright pink shirt and was grinning at her; Sakura-chan, who had changed her usual blue kimono for a frilly pink dress; Akabane-chan, (she was going to kill him for deceiving her), was accompanied by Reiko-chan; Kazuki-chan with Jubei-kun; the artist Clayman, who was looking very pretty in a girl's dress; Ginji-kun who was staring at Hevn with an inscrutable expression on his face (hehehe) and lastly, her beloved master- Paul Wan. In spite of coming to terms with her feelings, Natsumi's eyes anxiously scanned the crowd for the cerulean eyed man. Noticing her eyes, Hevn quickly said, "I don't think he's coming. How about we cut the cake?" after the traditional birthday song and smearing of cake on each other, everyone rushed to the place where the food was kept. Paul had invited a few of his friends and the old men where discussing about Natsumi's bright future and how lucky she was and the usual crap that old men talk. Shido was patiently explaining to Haruki why Paul had not arranged for shrimp and Madoka was searching for her violin case. Ginji was seen having a great time with Hevn on the dance floor and everyone seemed to be having a grand time. Everyone except her. Just then, Madoka made a solemn announcement, "I shall be playing the violin. These are original compositions, the first dedicated to Natsumi-chan and the second to everyone present here." And she began, her hair moving gracefully as she swung her delicate hands over her beloved violin. Shido watched her, mesmerized. The first piece was a strange, sad and haunting melody, which spoke of many happy times together as friends. As Madoka ended the first piece, everyone clapped enthusiastically and Natsumi brushed the tears out of her eyes. The second melody was a happier one and everyone began to dance as she played the violin perfectly.

Shido had put a little animal show and everyone was laughing at the antics of the monkeys and the silliness of the innumerable fleas. Sakura had created a lovely movie of the many moments the GBs and the rest of the gang had spent with Natsumi. It also featured the part where the GBs first met Natsumi. As the camera zoomed in to Ban's face, Natsumi couldn't help blushing. Where are you? She thought desperately. Everyone laughed heartily as they saw the way Natsumi blushed and quickly turned when she saw the GBs completely naked in the hot spring. No one knew how Sakura had caught hold of the video clips or even shot them…. (Let's leave it for the fans to decide)

Soon, it was time to say good bye as everyone headed home, stifling their yawns. "Good luck, Natsumi!" were the many wishes she received from her friends. Everyone hugged her, even the guys, and Haruki seemed very sad about Natsumi's departure. He hugged her for quite a long time and Natsumi had to clear her throat loudly to help him pull away from her. She was going to miss all of them so much. Before leaving, everyone handed Natsumi a birthday-cum-farewell present. First came Shido, who seemed to be very reluctant to hand over his present. Madoka came along with him and said, "Shido-kun spent a day searching for all this!" Natsumi ripped open the present to find a pink book with her name on it. As she scanned the pages, she was amazed to see pictures of over a thousand cats in Shinjuku. They were all so kawaii! Overjoyed, she flung her arms around Shido's neck, who smiled and Madoka looked pleased. "Arigatou! Arigatou! Arigatou!" exclaimed Natsumi as she clutched the book tightly. Haruki gave her a real, live kitten and Natsumi could not stop thanking him. Jubei presented her with a few black needles and said they would come in handy if she was ever ambushed in America. His face fell when he saw that Jackal offered her a set of knives. But Natsumi assured him that she would use both at once so that she would never be attacked ever again. Ginji gave her a beautiful set of gem stones. He also gave her a pretty lamp he designed that would never be extinguished, as it was provided by the Raitei's electricity. Hevn gave her a lovely dress whose neckline was far too deep. (Natsumi made a mental note to alter it as quickly as possible.) The artist, Clayman, had made a lovely portrait of her and she looked beautiful and exotic in it. It was a perfect picture that had captured her innate personality. It featured her, standing at Honky Htonk's window, looking out with a longing look on her face. The reflection of the neon signs on the window made her eyelashes curl and glisten like black petals, wet with the first rains. She stared at the painting, transfixed. Clayman smiled and asked if she had liked the painting. She nodded vigorously.

Sakura gave her a book called "A Guide to Hacking" and Natsumi couldn't help grinning at the programmer's wacky choice of a present. As everyone left, Natsumi slipped away softly as well, so that Hevn didn't corner her later for being a spoil sport. As she walked back home, pulling a shawl over her bare shoulders, she couldn't help feeling miserable. She really wanted him to be present there. It would have meant a lot to her if he had just showed up. As she walked back, careful not to tread into the marshy soil, she realized that she was going to leave him behind as well.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ban raced back to the café, his hair carefully gelled down and his formal shirt flapping in the wind. Could she have already left? No way, she would be there. But what if she thought that he wouldn't turn up? He silently cursed his car, which had broken down and the stupid old craftsman who had taken ages to prepare her present. As he saw the café come into view, he couldn't help sighing with disappointment, but the glimmer of a candle inside made him open the door anyway. As he walked inside, he was stunned to see Hevn and Ginji glaring at him. But his clothes and the package in his hand made them slightly calm. "Go on!" exclaimed Ginji. "What are you waiting for?" "Right," panted Ban. "Where is she?" "She already left a while ago, you half-wit," said Paul, as he emerged from the basement. "Crap," cursed Ban as he raced back through the streets of Shinjuku. Don't leave me so soon. At least not without saying good bye.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Natsumi decided to go to the terrace of her apartment rather than go to bed immediately. Her mind was buzzing with all sorts of things and she knew that gazing at the stars would help her analyze the situation. As she watched the stars and traced the innumerable constellations with her finger, she couldn't help marveling at their beauty. She knew that the stars had a job to do and even if they were feeling low, they would still shine with all their might as they knew that somewhere, someone, desired to see them shining with all their brightness. She realized that she was like the stars. In spite of feeling so unhappy, she had to put on a smile as otherwise, the people she loved would be worried. As she stared at the stars, she realized that the sky looked like his eyes, though slightly deeper. She imagined herself drowning in those blue orbs, what a dream it would be! But then, as she thought of the rejection, she couldn't help wincing in pain. Everything had happened so fast, the confession, the rejection and her departure. A little too fast for her liking. She was snapped out of her reverie when the digital watch on her white wrist beeped softly. It now read: 11:00 PM. She ran to her house, relieved to see that her father had not yet returned or she would be grounded for a week; party or no party. After she had changed into her night clothes, she looked out of her bedroom window to see a shadow flicker in the lamp. For a wild moment, she thought it was him. Nearly hanging out of the window, she tried to see who it was. To her utmost disappointment, it was a stray cat. Exhausted and frustrated, she fell on her bed, holding the tiny cat (the toy one) in her arms, staring at the picture inside. Gradually she fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Ban was racing through the streets. As he finally reached her apartment, he looked up to see if the lights were on. No sign of life. The house was in darkness. Thinking that she might have fallen asleep, he raced up the steps and furiously began ringing the bell. He knew that she was a light sleeper. She might wake up. But his heart sank as nobody answered the door. Disheartened, he walked back; pausing to only look at the door.

Meanwhile, Natsumi had come out to see who it was. She had hastily pulled a jacket over her sleeveless night dress. Uncertain, she opened the door to find nobody there. Puzzled, she walked back with a lurking feeling that something was missing. She went back to her room and fell asleep again.

By 1:00 AM, when Mr. Mizuki returned, he stepped into his daughter's room to find her fast asleep. Smiling, he pulled a blanket over her. When he was doing so, he noticed a tiny cat that had rolled off from her tightly clasped hand. Amused, he opened it by pressing the bell on its neck, accidentally and found himself gazing into the azure orbs of a young, brown haired man. He knew that the guy used to always hang out where she worked. He never imagined that his tiny little daughter fancied him. Mr. Mizuki gave a deep sigh and realized that Natsumi was no longer the little girl he used to think she was. He could never fathom the mystery behind her sudden growth. She was a mature young woman now. He couldn't imagine himself handing her over to that vagabond. Sighing, he patted her head and walked back to his room wearily.

Ban walked back to Honky Htonk, disappointment and anguish burning inside him. On entering, he found Ginji waiting for him. "Ban-chan! How did it go?" asked Ginji, excitedly. Ban shook his head and said, "she wasn't home." Paul gave an exasperated moan and walked back in. it looks like Ban could never tell Natsumi. She would just have to go to America and find someone there.

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**like it?**

**well...tell me through ur reviews den!**

**m waitin...**

**MSB**


	10. A Turn of Events in Tokyo

**hey guys! M back!!! long time no see, eh? I'm sorry, I've been busy with lots of going ons in my life...hehehe**

**greetings from the land of the rsing sun to one and all!**

**this chapter is the long awaited one...hope you like it...R&R every1!**

**I've used the lyrics of the songs Broken and Goodbye Days by Yui in my story...**

**DISCLAIMER: i'm just a writer...don't kill me for ptting up people together cuz i own none of them...**

* * *

Sunlight was streaming into her bedroom. She woke up, stretching herself. Tying her long hair, she stood in front of the sink and surveyed her face in the mirror. Her face had grown longer and she could see her high cheek bones. Over the past few days, she had not only grown emotionally, but also physically. "Today is the last day I will be spending in Japan. And at least, for the next five years, I won't be coming back." Sighing, she trouped back to the kitchen and searched around for the coffee jar. A small beep indicated that she had just received a text message. She raised an eyebrow when she read the message: 

**_Hi Nat. wat r u doin 2day? Wonderin if I cud meet u at da café…send me a text mesg if u can. Hevn._**

She feverishly typed back:

**_Hevn-chan, can't cum 2day. How about we directly meet at some park or something? Got 2 hv m'bath. So, let's meet at da park- Natsumi-chan._**

She got a positive reply and so, she stepped into the shower. After coming out of her bathroom, she quickly slipped into her black jeans and a red halter neck top. Grabbing her wallet, she jogged up to the park to find Ginji and Ban waiting with Hevn. Ban and Ginji had changed their usual clothes for totally cool ones. Ban had worn dark blue jeans with a white shirt (with the first button open) and Ginji was wearing jeans with a denim jacket. They looked quite handsome. Hevn smiled as she came near. When Natsumi's eyes fell on Ban, she uttered a soft "oh!' of realization. Pulling Hevn aside, she whispered, "What are they doing here?" Hevn smiled sweetly and said, "You mean him, right?" she said, indicating the dark-haired retriever, who seemed to find a butterfly perched on a flower very interesting all of a sudden. Natsumi scowled. She didn't want to be subjected to another of Hevn's "Getting them together" plans. But as long as she didn't fall for her plans, she need not worry. She shook her head and just said, "Let's get going."

As they walked through Shinjuku's streets, Natsumi stopped at a turning. Turning to the other guys, she said, "My school's just around the corner. Wanna check it out?" Hevn nodded and all of them followed Natsumi. Since it was a Sunday, school was closed and so; all of them could tour the school without being embarrassed by squeals like, "OMG! That Blondie is so cute!" or "the guy with the purple glasses is mine! Back off!" Natsumi led them to the gates and into the ground. It was very large and they was a racing track as well. Natsumi told them that she had won the Interschool Athletic Meet when she was in elementary school. They walked around the place and ended up climbing a staircase which led to the classrooms. Natsumi stopped by her classroom. Pushing the sliding door open, she walked in, deeply inhaling the smell of chalk and the usual school-like smell that always used to hang around her class. She smiled when she saw that someone had scribbled, "Goodbye, Natsumi!" on the black-board. Reminiscing the good times, she led the others to her most favorite place in the school, were she used to often sneak out with loads of library books. It was a huge tree with low branches and so, Natsumi could climb up easily. Using the many knots and twists in the old trunk, she sat on the branches and waived to the others. She invited them up as well. Hevn required some help due to her attire (ahem, ahem) and soon, all of them were on top. The ground seemed quite far away and Hevn asked Natsumi if she didn't get dizzy. Natsumi shook her head and replied, "I love it here! I can always think clearly when I sit here. So, if I have a bad day and I'm depressed, my tree always helps me." Ban almost imagined her sitting here, thinking about the reason why he had rejected her, tears spilling from her eyes. Shaking his head like a dog with water in his ears, his eyes focused on her. She seemed to be lost in thought, swinging her legs again and again. He watched as her hair danced along with her movements. Suddenly, he realized that he had been watching her for a long time; Hevn and Ginji were making little notes and observing them. He almost felt like a mouse being observed for its reactions in a laboratory. "Oi! What do you think you are doing?" he snarled, angrily. Natsumi looked questioningly at the two of them while Hevn said hastily, "N-nothing. Nothing at all."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Get into this one! No, that one!" yelled Ginji, as he stared at two trains. Shaking her head, Hevn said, "Will someone please go and check that?" pointing at the chart where the timetables were put up. 'I'll go," said Ban and Natsumi at the same time. They stared at each other. Hevn nodded and said, "Why don't both of you go?" they nodded slowly and walked towards the place. Natsumi and Ban scanned the chart to see if they could locate the right train that would lead them to Tokyo. After several moments, they both found a suitable train. Natsumi pointed at the chart and said, "It will be appropriate if we take this one. It's just after a few minutes." However, Ban had already reached out and was going to indicate the same train when his hand landed right on top of hers. Natsumi stared at her hand, which was beneath his long-fingered one. Blushing, both of them retreated. Ginji came to them with a silly grin plastered on his face and said, "Hevn's gone to get the tickets." "You mean she knew which train we were taking all along?" asked Ban, a nerve in popping in his forehead. Ginji nodded and said, "of course." Ban looked at Natsumi, who seemed to be very annoyed.

This was going to be a long day.

They quickly located their seats and the train moved off. Natsumi was sitting opposite Ban, while Hevn was sitting opposite Ginji. Hevn and Ginji were chatting animatedly about something, but Natsumi wasn't really interested. She kept losing the thread of the conversation and gradually, sank into her own shell. Ban was keeping aloof and staring out of the window. She watched him as the shadows flickered across his face. He seemed to be thinking deeply about something, as his eyes had a distant look in them.

Dakara ima ai ni yuku  
So kimetanda  
Poketto no kono kyoku wo  
kimi ni kikasetai

She knew that the only part of his face that truly betrayed his emotions, were, his eyes. She liked them a lot. One could never get tired gazing at them. She couldn't exactly say what color they were, but one day, she had come across a word in the dictionary: azure. It meant a startling sky blue. She was always curious about his nationality as it is highly uncommon among Japanese to have blue eyes. And that's when Ginji-kun had told her that Ban is half-German. Watching him curiously wasn't what she fancied, but she found him so attractive, she couldn't keep her eyes off him. As if sensing her gaze, he turned and found her staring at him intently. He raised his eyebrows and Natsumi flushed. Shaking her head, she stuttered, "n-nothing."

Sotto boryu-mu wo agete  
Tashikamete mitayo

Leaning back, she rested her head on the seat, trying to ignore the weird feeling in her stomach. Ban had resumed his stern and don't-care composure. She wondered what was going on in his mind. Little did she know, he was the same. She took out her cell phone and plugged in the ear phones and began to listen to the song Goodbye Days by YUI:

Oh Good-bye Days  
Ima, kawaru ki ga suru  
Kinou made ni  
So Long  
Kakko yokunai  
Yasashisa ga soba ni aru kara  
La la la la la with you……..

The song was so perfect; it completely expressed what she was feeling. She couldn't help smiling bitterly at her choice of a song. Leaving the Land of the Rising Sun, with its Fujiyama Mountain and its innumerable hot springs and natural beauty wasn't a very encouraging thought. But still, she would have to.

They finally reached Tokyo and Hevn then inaugurated what Ban called "The Shopping Spree" which involved nothing but the GBs fleecing and constant girly exclamations about what Ban called "frippery dresses that cover everything but your ass." But Hevn was kind enough to pay herself, which Ban observed with a certain amount of relief. They got their pictures clicked at a stall. The first one featured Ban and Ginji standing with their backs to each other, adopting a heroic pose. The second one involved Ginji jumping at an amazed and angry Ban, who was trying to push him away. Hevn and Natsumi got their pictures clicked as well, Natsumi smiled sweetly while Hevn put an arm around her shoulders. In the next picture, all four of them stood together, with Natsumi in the centre and the rest surrounding her. Hevn wanted a picture of herself and Ginji together, so, she suggested Ban and Natsumi should wait outside. Ban shrugged and Natsumi nodded with a sly grin, thinking that Hevn and Ginji were getting along only too well with each other. Little did she know, Hevn was hiding behind the booth with an eager and expectant Ginji. "What are you going to do next, Hevn?" asked Ginji, loudly, "Sssshh, Ginji! Lower your voice! Just wait and watch," said Hevn, grinning. "They should be here by now, "she said, glancing at her watch. As if on cue, four bustling women came towards the duo (Ban and Natsumi) heavily laded with shopping bags. They knocked right into the 17-year old, causing her to stumble and fall. She waited for herself to hit the ground. But nothing of that sort happened. She expected her nose to be bleeding by now, but she was way to above the ground. Startled, she opened her eyes and found herself in a pair of strong arms holding her tightly. Slowly, she raised her head and found herself looking into startling blue eyes. Time seemed to stand still.

But the moment ended when Hevn stepped out of a corner and exclaimed, "Me and Ginji shouldn't have returned at all! You seem to be getting along well…" "yeah, you guys look really cute together!" exclaimed Ginji in his usual baka-style. Natsumi pulled herself away from Ban and said, "It's n-nothing like that…" "Oh really?" asked Hevn, flashing one of her sly, seductive smiles. "Then pray, tell me, why are you still holding hands?" Natsumi flushed while Ban barked angrily, "she was about to fall, that's why!" Hevn snarled back, "is she still plummeting towards the ground, Ban? Why can't you just tell her and get it over with!" Ban stopped abruptly. He exhaled deeply and said, "I don't fancy getting cooked in the sun. I'm outta here." they watched Ban walk away sulkily. Natsumi looked at them and said, "You're just wasting your time. We can never be together. He just doesn't like me." Hevn felt really low now. She looked at Ginji, who seemed to be staring at Ban's retreating form. He turned to Natsumi and said, "Don't you worry, Natsumi-chan! I will make sure Ban-chan tells you how he feels." Natsumi sighed, exasperated. They just didn't get it. How can they ever be together?

Hevn and Ginji believed in the proverb "Never Say Die." As they walked along the streets, Hevn suddenly yelled, "Hey! Isn't that a karaoke bar?" Ginji nodded enthusiastically. "Let's go!' said Hevn. Natsumi nodded halfheartedly. But Ban drawled," you guys can go. I'm not coming in there." Natsumi looked at him, her eyes glimmering sadly. She was sure that when she tripped, all that she saw in his eyes, the concern, the caring and all those other emotions, they didn't really exist. Little did she know, Ban was watching her from the corner of his eye. On seeing her crestfallen face, he felt annoyed with himself. Why can't I just be nice to her……at least at times?

Ginji had gone into his chibi mode and was pleading to an angry Ban. Ban just cuffed him on the head and said, "Alright. But I'm not paying." Hevn grinned and nodded. Ban pushed the door and all of them walked in. They sat down at a table. Hevn eagerly scanned the list of songs placed before them. Natsumi looked around, taking in the bright surroundings. There were people of many different nationalities present in that club. There were Negros, Americans and across the podium, she even spotted an Indian gang of young boys. While Hevn ordered a Pink Lady, Natsumi feebly gave an excuse saying that she wasn't very well. She need not have worried; they would never allow her to drink.

After a lot of choosing, Hevn persuaded Ginji to sing. And so, he sang the song Mi Title from Hungry Heart. Suddenly, the DJ announced, "Ok! Listen up, Guys and Girls! There is gonna be a random selection here! When the spotlight falls on you, you gotta step up and sing a song! No freakin out, alright?" "Yeah!' chanted the audience. Natsumi merely sipped her mocktail. Suddenly, everything went dark. Only she seemed to be illuminated. A few seats away, she saw that the spotlight had fallen on Ban as well, who was shaking his fist at the guy on the podium. Everyone pushed them up. Ban snarled when the DJ pulled him on stage. Natsumi watched everything, wide-eyed. Slowly, the music came on. Ban shook his head, stubbornly, muttering all along that he won't make a fool of himself. "Are you chickenin' out?" yelled someone from the crowd. Ban screamed on the microphone and everyone put their fingers into their ears, "I'M NOT CHICKENIN' OUT! I WON'T SING!" Natsumi gave a sigh as the DJ came on stage. "C'mon, you can do this," he said, addressing Ban. "Some day, you're gonna thank me for this. Or may-be not." He said, backing away as Ban's face turned purple. The music began to play again. Natsumi was sure Ban was not going to sing. But, she didn't notice the glance that lingered upon her for a fraction of a second. Ban took a deep breadth, furiously cursing himself from within and began:

_**I wanted you to know**_

_**That I love the way you laugh**_

_**I wanna hold you high and steal your pain**_

_**Away**_

_**I keep your photograph**_

_**And I know it serves me well**_

_**I wanna hold you high and steal your pain**_

_**'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome**_

_**And I don't feel right**_

_**When you're gone away**_

_**You've gone away**_

_**You don't feel me here**_

_**Anymore**_

He caught her staring at him, a bewildered look on her face. He was sure she was not aware of his hidden talent: singing. Ban knew there was no way that the shy Natsumi Mizuki he knew would openly respond to the hidden confession. As he slowly began to detach himself from the microphone, he stopped dead in his tracks to hear that sweet voice he loved so much:

_**The worst is over now**_

_**And we can breathe again**_

_**I wanna hold you high and steal my pain**_

_**Away**_

_**There's so much left to learn**_

_**And no one left to fight**_

_**I wanna hold you high and steal your pain**_

**_Both:_**

_**'Cause I'm broken**_

_**When I'm open**_

_**And I don't feel like**_

_**I'm strong enough**_

_**'Cause I'm broken**_

_**When I'm lonesome**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone away**_

Ban and Natsumi were feeling quite at ease and even smiled once or twice at each other. The crowd was loving every moment, as Ban and Natsumi were not only good singers, but they had the ethereal power of bewitching the listeners. The song was perfect for the two of them. Just perfect.

**_'Cause I'm broken_**

**_When I'm open_**

**_And I don't feel like_**

**_I'm strong enough_**

**_'Cause I'm broken_**

**_When I'm lonesome_**

**_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_**

As the dramatic music played in the background, all her memories flashed in his head and even Ginji would have sworn that there was a hint of a single crystalline diamond shining in the Jagan's eyes. Ban hastily rubbed his nose and concentrated on the lyrics.

_**'Cause I'm broken**_

_**When I'm lonesome**_

_**And I don't feel right when you're gone…**_

Ban ended the song, a hint of emotion in his voice as he sang:

**_You've gone away_**

**_You don't feel me here_**

**_Anymore…_**

As the guitarist struck the last chords, the tiny bar reverberated with thunderous applause. Ban found himself smiling, much to his surprise. People had stood up. Natsumi found herself squeezed tightly by Hevn and Ginji. As she tried making her way through the crowd, she was pushed towards a side. Blindly, she stretched her hands forwards and found them resting on a pair of strong shoulders. Hevn watched the two of them, squealing gleefully, "I think this is it!'

But she sighed, disappointed, as the two of them just smiled politely at each other after a quick "sorry."

Hevn and Ginji were sick of the shy duo, and hence, they vanished, leaving a note saying that they wouldn't return, as Hevn had an important call from a client. Ban snarled angrily when a waiter handed him the note. "How dare they?!! That Bimbo! She doesn't know when to quit, does she?!!" Natsumi timidly replied, "Do you think we should go look for them? May-be they're just hiding around somewhere…." Ban shook his head and walked out. "I've had enough of this. I'm leaving." Natsumi followed him, careful to distance herself from him. As they wandered around, they suddenly spotted a recreation centre with a tennis table. Natsumi stared at it, longingly. Ban saw her staring at it and so, he said, "Wanna play?"

Natsumi nodded vigorously. She took her position. Ban realized that this was déjà vu. The last time he played against her was when they had visited those hot springs. The only difference was that at that time, she was clad in a kimono, and now, she was wearing that red colored top. Ban had to admit it, she looked hot. He could see her smooth white shoulders and was about to notice quite a lot of other things, but her voice brought him back to reality. "Ban-san is something wrong?" she asked him, perplexed. Ban shook his head, turning away, as he felt his cheeks burning. Natsumi won the first round easily. But, ban wasn't going to allow her to win again, and so, in order to make things more interesting, he said, "Hey! How about another bet?" Natsumi nodded in approval and said, 'so, what's it?" "Whosoever wins this match has to do anything the opponent wants them to do," he said, grinning. Natsumi smiled and replied "OK."

I think everyone one of us knows who really won the match. But to those who haven't seen the hot spring episode, here's a helpful tip: Natsumi won it. He should have seen it coming; but; the pounding up was worth it as he would do anything to see that mischievous glint in her eyes. Watching her as she was poised, ready for battle, her eyes screwed up with concentration; she looked simply kawaii.

Ban shrugged as she danced about, crowing in delight. "I went easy on you,' he smirked. "Of course, Ban-chan. You went easy on me, "she said, sarcastically. "I could see the veins tightening in your hand as you tried to avoid that attack," she said, playfully punching him on the shoulder. It was simply amazing to see that after the song, they seemed to be much more closer to each other. Ban noticed that she had resumed the previous friendly suffix (chan) instead of calling him 'san.' Smiling, he walked out of the recreation centre; hardly conscious of her hand that now was wrapped in his own. A few dustbins away, a certain blonde-haired couple was watching them with an excited look. They seemed to be rather poorly disguised. Hevn was wearing large red colored sunglasses and a wide hat with a floppy brim. Ginji had wrapped a muffler around his face, which gave him the appearance of an old man. They followed the dark-haired couple, excitedly chatting among themselves.

Ban and Natsumi walked on, unperturbed by the fact that time was flying by. They stopped when Natsumi spotted a tiny festival, held on the bank of a river. Natsumi smiled and said gleefully, "you said the opponent has to do anything the winner says. I, Natsumi Mizuki, command you, Ban Mido, to take me to that festival." Ban nodded and so, the tow of them walked towards the place

The river seemed to be sparkling, like a silvery snake, as it slithered about in the darkness, eagerly looking for its prey. Even though she was not wearing the traditional kimono, Ban still thought she looked resplendent. When she spotted a huge stuffed cat at a stall, she stared at it, as though attracted towards it. Ban couldn't find the words to deny it to her. So, half a second later, he found himself holding a gun, and within the fraction of a second, he was already pushing the cat into her arms. He was surprised to see how happy he felt when she just smiled and murmured a soft, "Arigatou, Ban-chan." Natsumi won a silver lighter for Ban, who looked very pleased. Yamato's lighter was getting old now. The initials –Y.K, had almost faded away. It was nice to see that he had received such a good replacement. Perhaps, he would engrave a B and N on it. Or perhaps not. They slowly trickled out of the festival; each lost in his/her happy thoughts.

Making their way towards the river, they stood, inhaling the cool moist breeze. As darkness fell, Natsumi saw what Tokyo really was. It was simply beautiful. It looked like an isle in the midst of a desert or, just like Sri Lanka when seen from the coast. A thousand lights glimmered everywhere. Shinjuku felt really small in front of this huge and glamorous place. But the icing on the cake was, the way the reflection of the city glimmered. It was as though an identical city was flourishing in the sapphire depths of the swirling current. Natsumi gasped, her eyes drinking in the wondrous sights. Ban couldn't help smiling to himself when he saw the way her mouth opened in a small "Oh!" of astonishment. "It's like Las Vegas, isn't it?' he asked smugly. Natsumi nodded; her eyes never left the neon lights. Suddenly, the clock struck 10:00 and a loud boom could be heard as innumerable firecrackers illuminated the dark velvety sky. The crowd "ooohed" and "aahhhed" at the marvelous display of fire works. Natsumi suddenly realized that they might be looking like a couple, standing alone together like this. Her cheeks flamed red as she thought of herself and Ban being together. Ban felt oddly nervous as he stood next to her in the dark. As the fireworks display came to an end, Natsumi rubbed her cold hands, cursing herself for being so scantily dressed. Ban silently stretched out his hand and pushed the jacket into her arms. She took it gratefully. Neither spoke as they watched the stars, each thinking the same thing. They would never see each other again for at least, the next five years, starting from tomorrow.

The thought itself was so overwhelming, that Ban could no longer conceal his feelings. The mask had slipped away. There was no denying it; he had to tell her. Both of them turned to each other at the same time. They flushed, determinedly avoiding each other's eyes. "You first, "they said together again. The blush that stained their cheeks darkened. Ban cleared his throat and began, "well…um….so….er….you are leaving tomorrow." Natsumi nodded, her eyes revealing her anxiety. Ban silently chided himself. Just when you were going to tell her, you remind her of that sorry truth…could you get any thicker? Just when, he was about to speak, Natsumi began, "Ban-chan, can you promise me something?" Ban looked at her questioningly. "Will you promise me that you….you and gin-chan….you'll always remain together, even if I go away?" Ban stepped back, disappointed. He expected something much more, what do you say, concerning himself. Not his dumb retrieval partner. A few lamp posts away, a blonde-haired young man smiled and his companion wiped a tear out her eye. That was Natsumi for you, always the people's girl. Never the 'me me' kid. Ban nodded and said, "I promise."

Natsumi watched the stars, still thinking of her departure. She turned to Ban, surprised to find him a beetroot red. He ran a hand through his hair and said slowly, "N-Natsumi…I wanna say something….." Natsumi raised one eye brow questioningly. "Natsumi…I'm really sorry about the way I behaved the other day…you know…I rudely pushed you away when you told me….when you told me," he said pausing, as his face was now different shades of red. "When you told me that you…well…like me," he finished. 'Don't worry about it, Ban-chan. Don't worry,' she replied, turning away to gaze at the river in front of her, which was glittering in the moonlight. "It was my fault…I should have known……" she said slowly. Ban turned her around by tightly grasping her wrist in his hand and said, "of course it's not ok. I pushed you away. When the truth is……I can't live without you." A loud bellowing silence filled the air. Natsumi anxiously searched for a hint of deceit in those cerulean eyes, but she found herself being reflected plainly in them. Ban released her when he saw her flinch. Turning his back to her, he tucked his hands into his pockets and said, "That day……. When Fudo kidnapped you, I was sure he was aware of how I felt about you. I couldn't risk losing someone else," he said bitterly, thinking about Yui. "I tried to fight with myself, saying that you deserved better, some CEO of some firm, or some rich guy who could deck you up, so that you always looked pretty. I also tried to argue that we were as different as the sun and the rain; but that old man found a good argument for that as well. I can't…can't…..run away from you, 'cause you keep popping up in my head. I know, I sound so pathetic," he finished, miserably. Natsumi just watched him, not sure how to react.

Ginji and Hevn watched excitedly as Ban paused, nervously awaiting her answer. The fireflies fluttered about, casting a warm peaceful glow on the dark-haired duo's faces. Natsumi was still shell-shocked, her eyes resembling grapefruit. Slowly, she edged forward, tears spilling from her eyes. Coming near, she said, "you should have known Ban…its true…I know I deserve someone who's rich, smart and someone who'll always keep me happy." As she stopped, Ban's heart sank. Smiling softly, she continued, "but I chose you, didn't I?" Ban looked up, amazed and uncertain if his ears were functioning properly. His heart melted when he saw the infinite flow of tears, falling form her eyes, like a thousand rain drops during a rain storm. He gently pulled her into an embrace and listened to her as she wept; telling him how much she had suffered by his delay.

"How can you even think that I'd choose anyone over you? Ban-chan no Baka! Mmmmff….I know we are different….. (sob)…demo, Ban-chan….I would always love you….even though you didn't feel the same way……..I don't think want to leave now," she said, pulling herself away and staring into his eyes. But Ban shook his head and said, "You have to go. I don't want you to ruin your life. You've got a great opportunity to prove yourself to this world, that you're no longer a kid, but a woman of great intelligence. You deserve to be there on the top 'cause you worked so hard. You can't give up for a trivial reason like this. I'll wait for you." His last words left Natsumi content. She was sure that Ban was the one. After all, which guy would let go of a girl just 'cause she wanted to pursue her dreams! He was truly the one.

Ban suddenly smacked himself on the head and said, "Sheesh! Now I remember! It's been lying in my pocket for ages! Hang on, I'll give it to ya." Natsumi waited, perplexed, as Ban fished out a badly wrapped package and thrust it into her hands. Natsumi opened it, wondering what it contained. As she ripped it open, a beautiful crystal statue of a girl, mounted on a shiny mahogany box came into view. On looking closely, she found that the girl resembled her. There was a tiny cat next to her as well. Ban waited and finally blurted out, "well, do you like it?" Natsumi smiled and nodded. "A belated happy birthday to you, Nat,' he said, embarrassedly rubbing his nose at the thought of calling her that. You know Ban-chan; you shouldn't have given it to me," she said, grinning as she held his hand. Ban looked surprised and wondered why she said that. Before he could react, Natsumi affectionately pecked him on the cheek and said, "I already got my present, just a while ago. It was you."

As he walked back with her, he stopped her and said, "could you continue that song you were humming in the train?" Natsumi looked surprised, but she sang nevertheless:

_**Katahou no earphone wo  
Kimi ni watasu  
Yukkuri to nagare komu  
Kono shunkan**_

_**Umaku aisete imasu ka?  
Tama ni mayou kedo**_

_**Oh Good-bye Days  
Ima, kawari hajimeta  
Mune no oku  
All Right  
Kakko yokunai  
Yasashisa ga soba ni aru kara  
La la la la la with you**_

_**Dekireba kanashii  
Omoi nante shitaku nai  
Demo yattekuru deshou, oh  
Sono toki egao de  
"Yeah, Hello My Friends" nante sa  
Ieta nara ii noni**_

_**Onaji uta wo  
Kuchizusamu toki  
Soba ni ite I Wish  
Kakko yokunai  
Yasashisa ni aeta yokatta yo  
La la la la good-bye days**_

Ban smiled and said, "You are an amazing singer, Mizuki." Natsumi grinned and said, "you aren't two bad yourself, Mido-kun…" Ban watched her horrified, as she laughed and said, "reminds you of Kurudo-chan, doesn't it? Mido-kun…muhahaha!" they teased each other as they walked home. Both were immensely happy. It felt good to hear that there's someone who would wait for you, even if you were gone.

Ban had smiled secretly as she kissed him on the cheek. He had felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It felt really good to inhale her soft, fragrant hair and get lost in her grey orbs. But, a part of him was sad as he would never see her again, for quite a long time.

He smiled at her as she waved to him from her window, yelling, "goodbye, Ban-chan!" as he walked back to the café, he knew it in his heart- she was gone forever.

A single tear rolled down his cheek. He brushed it away and tried to reassure himself that everything would work out in the end. That was the side of Ban Mido you'll never see. Unless, you happen to be, a certain dark-haired, grey-eyed, feline loving girl.

* * *

**so, did you like it? Plz, Review people! or i won't update soon! nywayz, there is an epilogue cumin up, so don't miss it!**

**love you all! Ja Mata Ne!**

**MSB**


	11. Epilogue: Reminiscence

**Hey guys...this is it!**

**the grand finale...**

**what all of us have been waiting for...**

**enjoy...**

**also, i just wanted 2 say da da idea of the sun and the rain wasn't mine...i saw a lovely movie called Mulan and so...(grins mischieviously)**

* * *

**Epilogue**

Natsumi anxiously peered into the mirror. Readjusting her obi, she wondered if she looked the one word all girls dread: fat. But then, everyone looks plump in a kimono. And as all of us know the skinny 21 year-old, she looked resplendent. Her eyes traced the long material, which seemed to be collected at tangle near her feet; she wondered if she would…….

Just then, a beautiful blonde-haired woman stepped in, smiling, and said in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry. You won't trip on it."

Natsumi turned around in amazement and squealed in delight as she spotted her best friend, Hevn. She had made it after all! Even though she was now a proud mother of an adorable three year old, she still looked resplendent. Natsumi ran to her and flung her arms around the taller woman's neck and said, "Hevn-chan! I thought you weren't coming…." "And miss my dearest friend's special day, when she _**finally **_elopes with the guy she's destined for? I don't think so," teased Hevn, as she hugged her back. Natsumi blushed deeply. She wondered if she was doing the right thing, by marrying him. She had butterflies in her tummy. Suddenly, the prospect of getting married didn't seem very appealing. Horrific images of betrayal and hurt began to flash in her head, but, Hevn cleared them away with a simple, "don't worry. Everything's going to be daijobu."

She looked at Natsumi with approval shining in her eyes. But a frown crossed her face when she saw Natsumi's face. Natsumi looked worried, but Hevn was already hunting in her enormous hand bag for something. "There it is!" she said, satisfied, as she held a tiny bottle in front of her. Lip gloss. Natsumi couldn't help grinning as Hevn applied some on her (Natsumi's) lips, and said, contently, "Now you look ready for it."

As Natsumi surveyed Hevn's clothes, she said, "Aren't you going to change?" Hevn slapped herself on the head and said, "Typical. I forget everything when I'm with you, Mizuki. Hang on a second." After a few moments, she emerged from the dressing room, looking gorgeous in a black tomesode. Natsumi marveled at her beauty. As she smiled at her, Natsumi realized that it was time.

**FLASHBACK**

Natsumi was already throwing her bag on the ground. She raced to her desk, and quickly switched on the computer. As she stood, impatiently clicking her tongue at the blue light emanating from the screen, she caught sight of her American messy roommate, who was thankfully, fast asleep. It was true, Angela was very sweet and even-tempered, but she was extremely lazy and untidy. Natsumi couldn't stand unclean people and so, the sparks would really fly at times. But the truth was, both of them liked each other very much, so arguments were generally avoided. As she quickly logged in to her instant messenger, she eagerly checked for the only people on her list: ceruleansnake, kawaiiraitei and ambereyes. (I think the names are pretty obvious) but, unfortunately, only ceruleansnake was online……..

Kawaiikitty: hi

Ceruleansnake: howdy

Kawaiikitty: m doin good….how r things in Japan?

Ceruleansnake: the same…….u getting along wid dat roommate of urs?

Natsumi couldn't help smiling as she saw his reply. He was still worried about that thing.

Kawaiikitty: ya…..she's ok now……..

Ceruleansnake: glad 2 hear dat….

Natsumi couldn't place her finger on it, but there was something weird about Ban that day. It was true she spoke to him almost everyday and he called her as well. It was really difficult to maintain a relationship when you are so far apart, but the prospect of seeing each other again was what made them plough on.

Kawaiikitty: so….

Ceruleansnake: so… (At the same time)

Natsumi's cheeks flamed up as usual. A thousand miles away, Ban blushed as well. He looked up to see if anyone was staring at him. Thankfully, Paul was busy reading the newspaper and Ginji was asleep. Little did he know, Paul could see everything thanks to the large font size Ban was using.

Ceruleansnake: so, you're cumin bak soon, rite?

Kawaiikitty: ya…..

Ceruleansnake: well, there's sumthin I've been wantin 2 tell u….

Natsumi just watched the screen, wondering if something had gone wrong. Perhaps Ginji was unwell or Hevn had thrown another fit. Or may-be master was urging them to pay their bills.

Ceruleansnake: well, not that u r 20 and all………

Natsumi waited, perplexed.

Ceruleansnake: will u marry me, Natsumi?

The words hit Natsumi like surging waves. She couldn't believe it. Marriage. Getting married to Ban. This was….unreal. She suddenly yelled in delight, causing Angela to get up and say groggily," Natsumi, what's wrong? Are you having a bad dream or something?" Natsumi ran to her and flung her arms around her neck and screamed, "Angela, oh Angela! Ban just proposed to me!" Angela looked at her, and then screamed as well, "oh! This has to be a dream!!! I'm so happy for you!!!! I'm invited, aren't I?" both of them hugged each other and jumped on the bed, causing the blankets to roll to the ground.

Meanwhile, in the continent of Asia, a certain dark haired young man was worried that he had just been rejected. He sat, nervously awaiting her answer. She didn't reply for five minutes. He wondered if he had scared her off. It was true, she was his girlfriend, but she was still so shy and he was shy as well. Well, all he could do was wait. She hadn't gone offline; he could still see her picture.

After that lot of squealing and numerous exclamations, Angela asked her, "so, what did you say?" and suddenly, Natsumi turned pale. In all her excitement, she had forgotten to reply. She dashed back to the computer, relieved to see that he was still there. Angela was yelling at her for being "thick-headed and frog spawn brained" so, Natsumi hurriedly typed, "yes."

Ban stared at her answer. He felt numb. He felt: happy. For the first time after she had gone, Ban laughed and smiled. A genuine smile. Paul looked up to see him laughing, his eyebrows raised as though questioning his sanity. Ban got off the chair and hugged Paul, a thing he would never do otherwise. Paul watched him, shell-shocked. Ban laughed and woke up Ginji by a sweet, "get up Ginji!' other than the usual kick on the rear. So happy he was, he didn't even feel annoyed with Hevn who was still wearing her crappy dresses.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

That was the way Ban had proposed to her. You could say that it was not the least bit romantic or dreamy, but it was still a decent proposal. And she had agreed. She blushed as they walked through the large crowd. It was going to be a formal Japanese wedding, due to her father's insisting. Secretly, she was looking forward to a Christian wedding, with the fluffy gown and the lacy veil, not to mention the kiss..!(A/n: that's what Ban's looking forward to, right:D) Ban had promised her they would have a ceremony later. Her face resembled a beacon. She still hadn't caught sight him. She was really apprehensive on the prospect of seeing him in a kimono. She thought he looked better in a tuxedo.

Hevn led her to the pretty, smiling priestess, who seemed very young. She caught sight of the woman's long black hair and smiled when she remembered the day when she…..

**FLASHBACK**

The plane landed and Natsumi looked out eagerly, waiting to catch a glimpse of Tokyo. Her co-passenger was still asleep. As the pilot announced that they had landed in Tokyo, Natsumi cheered, much to the amusement of her companions. She quickly checked through and located her baggage. Grabbing a trolley, she decided to make her way through the innumerable passengers.

Meanwhile, an estranged Ban and Ginji stood at the airport. Due to the stupidity of a certain blonder-haired retriever, they were lost and they didn't know when she was getting out of the plane. Ban smacked Ginji hard on the head, causing the latter to scream in pain, instantly going into the chibi mode.

Suddenly, Ban spotted her. He was sure of it. The way her hair danced about, it had to be her. He raced after her, yelling "Natsumi!" but she didn't stop. He grabbed her hand and turned her around. To his immense shock and embarrassment, it wasn't her. It was some girl who looked like her, but it wasn't her. Mortified, he took a step back and said, "Sorry. Thought you were someone else." The girl shrugged and said, "Whatever. Guys like you say that all the time." Ban turned purple with rage. This girl was thinking he held her hand on purpose? He started saying stuff like, "hey! I didn't do it on purpose, ok?'

Soon, there was a scene created and the two were engaged in heated combat. People gathered around to watch.

Suddenly, a soft voice said, "oh, no…..sorry….we have to go….' And Ban felt himself being pulled away by a very soft hand. He turned around to see her. He couldn't believe it, she looked so different. She was mesmerizing and breathtaking. Her long black hair, instead of being tied up, now tumbled down to her waist. Her face shone like porcelain.

As they made their way towards Ginji, she turned around and smiled at him. Ban's stomach did a few back flips. "What took you guys so long?" Asked Ginji. Natsumi looked at Ban, who was determinedly avoiding her gaze. "Lets just say, I received a through welcome," said Natsumi, grinning.

As they got into the car and Ban began to drive, he caught sight of her looking out of the window and admiring Shinjuku. More than once did his gaze flicker towards the rear view mirror, looking at her, rather than the traffic behind. Ginji was talking animatedly about something, but the dark haired duo was lost in thought. When Natsumi absent mindedly looked into the mirror, she saw his blue eyes staring at her. Both of them jumped and blushed. Ban then diverted his attention to the traffic.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

She tried hard not to laugh as she thought of the way his face lost color when she caught him staring at her.

And then, her eyes fell on him. He looked so….handsome. Somehow, his hair had been gelled down and he looked splendid in his dark-blue haori-hakama. When he saw her, his face lit up with a shy smile. Natsumi smiled back, her face red. Ginji stood next to Ban, a happy grin plastered on his face. So as you guessed, Hevn and Ginji were to be the Nakodos for the wedding.

It had been quite a while since Hevn and Ginji were married. It was inevitable. They now had a three year old soon called Justin and the little boy was so adorable that Natsumi ardently wished for a son like him.

With the end of the solemn ceremony, Natsumi and Ban took their places on the stage and proceeded to watch the numerous performances put up by the guests. After the performance, Ban clasped Natsumi's hand gently in his. Natsumi looked up, blushing. Her cheeks turned even pinker when she heard him, "Hey, I'm not trying anything. Its time to cut the cake."

Everyone smiled as the couple made their way towards the enormous cake which was decorated with pink icing. Ban's hand never left hers and Natsumi couldn't help stuffing a bit of the cake into his surprised face. Natsumi's father watched the two of them, a happy look on his face. He never regretted his daughter's choice of a husband as he realized that the young man was both amiable and good looking. But the most important part was, he loved Natsumi more than his life and would always protect her no matter what.

As they made their way in order to light the candles on the many tables, they came across the tables of many friends, who wished the couple many years of happiness. Natsumi, however, was on the lookout for one special person. She squealed when she saw her:

"Himiko-chan! You look splendid!" Ban turned around at caught sight of the short haired young woman, who was arm in arm with that clown. Himiko looked very pretty and Haruki had grown from awkward to handsome. He gave Natsumi a hug and blushed when Natsumi said that he and Himiko looked good together. Ban however, was having a quiet chat with the lady who had chosen to wear a gown rather than a kimono. "You finally won over your confusedness," said Himiko, smiling.

Ban nodded, watching Natsumi and Haruki, who were chatting animatedly with a delighted Kazuki and Jubei. "And you survived the voodoo curse," said Ban, a look of relief on his face. Himiko smiled and nodded. "And it's all thanks to her," she replied, looking at Natsumi. Ban looked at her questioningly. Himiko laughed and said, "Long story. Perhaps if the two of you come over to my house sometime, I might tell you about it." Ban grinned back.

They soon bid farewell to their friends and walked up to the podium, which was specially erected in order to facilitate dancing. To Natsumi's immense surprise, her father encouraged the two of them to have the first dance all to themselves.

"May I have the pleasure of dancing with you on this song, my lady?" asked Ban, bowing down, with his hand extended forward. Natsumi giggled and thought, _who would have thought that the great Jagan no_ _taka can actually behave like a prince?_ Natsumi nodded and allowed Ban to clasp her hand in his and place his other hand around her waist.

Natsumi smiled softly and began to slowly sway to the music. Ban was an excellent dancer; she didn't know where he had learnt the art. She would have to ask him later. There was so much she didn't know about him; she wondered if it would work out. She regretted going to America; even though she had topped the exam.

Seeing her dismayed look, Ban looked perplexed. Edging closer, he said, 'something bothering you, Natsumi?" Natsumi shook her head and said, "Oh, its nothing important. I was just thinking about my stupid decision of going abroad….I just realized there's so much I don't know about you…all those years; I could have known you better…." Her voice trailed off when she saw him grinning, with a slight smirk on his face, he said, "We can make up for that now. It's true you don't know much about me….like the fact that I'm a real good kisser…" saying this, he quickly leaned in and gently captured her pink lips with his. Natsumi's eyes widened; he was kissing her in front of everyone. She smiled softly and leaned in, gently raising her arms to fling them round his neck.

As Ban drew apart from her, he smiled and said, "Do you remember the time….." "Yes. I do," smiled Natsumi.

**FLASHBACK**

Ban leant against the silver colored beetle, the moonlight shining on his dark brown hair. The moon would be ashamed of itself if it saw the beauty next to Ban. Soft features enhanced by a distinctly serious expression and a long graceful petite body clothed in white were the striking features of Natsumi Mizuki.

Ban cleared his throat awkwardly and said, with a bit of his old swagger, "um…so, you still interested….?" Natsumi looked up, the moon reflected in the big black pools of her eyes. "Interested in what?" she asked, a teasing tone evident in her soft voice. Ban missed it. He went red. "You know….that," he said, glowering at the car. "That what?" asked Natsumi, grinning. Ban looked at her and said, "You know…that."

Natsumi burst out laughing and said, "Oooh….the great Jagan fears form saying the 'M' word, eh?" Ban shook his head, glaring at the innocent pebble on the path. Natsumi smiled and said, "Well, I don't think I should….." she said, her eyes trailing into a whisper. Ban looked up, shocked. She wasn't going to deny him. Well, that was Natsumi Mizuki for you. Ever the unsteady boat.

"Say no!" finished Natsumi, giggling at Ban's shell shocked look. It took a moment for Ban to realize that she was still madly in love with him.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Ha ha ha! Laughed Natsumi "I still can't forget the look on your face……."

"You forgot what happened after **that,**" grinned Ban, squeezing her hand lightly in his. (They were still dancing)

Natsumi blushed and looked down.

**FLASHBACK**

As Natsumi laughed on, Ban edged closer, observing how pretty Natsumi looked in the moonlight. It was true, Natsumi was stunning, but in the moon, she was in her true form. Ban was conscious of the way the clothing brushed against her soft skin, the way her dimples deepened in her cheeks as she laughed harder and the way her hair danced along with her, frantically keeping pace. Her skin seemed to be emanating a faint glow. Ban edged closer, drinking in her intricate details.

Natsumi looked up to see ban's long nose inches apart from her tiny one. Her breath got caught in her throat. She tried to speak, but nothing seemed to come out. She saw a weird emotion swirling in Ban's eyes.

As she shut her eyes and leaned closer, she heard a snigger. Looking up, she saw Ban laughing his head off. "You thought I was going to kiss you," he said, laughing harder. Natsumi frowned and blushed. So much for a romantic moment. "We're even!" said Ban, laughing hysterically.

Natsumi merely pursed her lips and looked away. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she thought, annoyed. "Who said I don't want to," said Ban, leaning closer. His look sent a pleasant chill down Natsumi's spine. Natsumi had forgotten: he could read her mind. And with that, Ban kissed Natsumi for the first time.

It began to rain. They were completely drenched, yet Ban didn't seem to stop. The rain crashed harder, and Ban held Natsumi close to his heart. He was never going to let go of his little cat; she meant the world to him.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ban smiled as Natsumi's cheeks turned a darker shade of red. _She looks so cute like that_, he thought, smiling to himself. Suddenly, Natsumi looked up and said, "Ban-chan, did you ever think what made me go on when I decided I couldn't take any more of what's happening?" ban shook his head. "What did?" Natsumi smiled and said, "Remember the present you gave me years back? The pretty doll engraved in crystal which looks just like me?" Ban wrinkled his nose and suddenly exclaimed, "oh yeah! The one that old doofus made? Yeah, I do." Natsumi smiled and said, "That's the best present any one has ever given me….." Ban smiled and said, "And you know my idea of a present that's the greatest in the world?"

Natsumi shook her head, wondering what it was. "You," he said, smiling as he hugged her tightly, breathing in her vanilla scented hair.

**END**

* * *

**Now, a bit of background info on Japnese wedding if you've never attended 1 before:**

**Tomesode: its a black kimono worn by the married sister of the bride...since our dear Hevn is like Natsumi's sister and since Hevn is married, i let her have the homour...(wink)**

**Uchikake: its the kimono the bride wears...its generally white...**

**Haori-Hakama: the kimono the groom wears...**

**Nakodos: they are the go betweens for a Japanese wedding...they are generally a married, elderly couple...(close to the bride & groom) you may refer to them as the maid of honour or the best man...**

**the customs i have given here were practised earlier and very few people still hold their weddings in this style as these arrangements are expensive...many people prefer the modern and less expensive style...but I (ahem, ahem) wanted to make it grand...**

**so, thanks a lot, all my reviewers! (kisses) i love all you guys! thank you!**

**you made my wanna write more...**

**best wishes and all da best 4 your fics, MSB.**


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